COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Finance

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by what means his Department plans to allocate funding under the Affordable Homes Programme.

Grant Shapps: I announced the outcome of the Affordable Homes Programme on 14 July. 146 providers will deliver 80,000 new homes for Affordable Rent and Affordable Home Ownership with Government funding of just under £1.8 billion.
	Taken with existing commitments, we are investing a total of nearly £4.5 billion between 2011 and 2015. This funding is now expected to provide up to 170,000 new affordable homes by 2015, compared to the 150,000 originally estimated.
	The 2011-15 Affordable Homes Programme Framework set out the criteria for assessment by the Homes and Communities Agency, which included meeting local needs and priorities in their proposed locations, offered good value for money, and delivered within the programme timeframe.

Audit Commission

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what meetings the Audit Commission has had with representatives of (a) the Labour party and (b) Her Majesty's Opposition since May 2010; and on what dates.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 10 October 2011
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	The Audit Commission has not met with representatives of (a) the Labour Party or (b) Her Majesty's Opposition since May 2010.

Audit Commission

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Audit Commission spent on photography from Frank Noon in the last three years; and (a) on what dates and (b) for what functions Frank Noon was commissioned to take photographs during that period.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated October 2011
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	The Audit Commission has spent a total of £1,811.80 on photography with Frank Noon in the last three years. The dates, functions and individual costs are shown below:
	
		
			  Function Total (£) 
			 21 April 2008 The Reform Club, London—event to celebrate the 25(th) anniversary of the Audit Commission. Attended by senior stakeholders, including Lord Heseltine, and long-serving members of staff. Photographs taken for internal communication purposes. 255.80 
			 23 July 2008 Lancaster House, London—Audit Commission’s Annual Lecture given by Lord Heseltine. Photographs taken for Annual Lecture transcript document and for internal communication purposes. 205.80 
			 30 April 2009 British Library, London—Appointed Auditors conference, presentation of two annual awards. Photographs for award winners and internal communication purposes. 200.80 
			 4 November 2009 One Great George Street, London—Alumni event. Photographs taken for internal communication purposes and alumni newsletter. 230.80 
			 10 November 2009 Savoy Place, London—Seminar for past and present senior staff to discuss issues affecting the public sector. Photographs taken for internal communication purposes and alumni newsletter. 230.80 
			 7 December 2009 St Martins in the Field, London—press launch for the: Oneplace website. Photographs taken for internal communication purposes. 250.00 
			 10 March 2010 Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury—Discussion event to improve arrangements for staff working part-time or flexible hours. Photographs taken for internal communication purposes. 232.20 
			 21 April 2010 The Welcome Collection, London—Appointed Auditors conference. Photographs for award winners and internal communication purposes. 205.60 
		
	
	The Commission no longer uses external photographers for internal publications and has ceased alumni events and production of its alumni newsletter.

Audit Commission: Government Procurement Card

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff of the Audit Commission were disciplined for misuse or abuse of the Government Procurement Card between 2005-06 and 2009-10.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 10 October 2011
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	I can confirm that there were no instances of misuse or abuse of the Government Procurement Card by staff of the Audit Commission that warranted disciplinary action during the period in question.

Business: Civil Disorder

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the funds provided by his Department in respect of the High Street Support Scheme are allocated from existing budgets; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government contribution to the High Street Support Scheme will be funded from unallocated provisions within the Department's budgets; this is therefore additional local government funding from schemes that had been announced to date.

Community Relations: Religion

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how he plans to consult with faith communities in the future; and if he will reconsider his decision to abolish the Faith Communities Consultative Council.

Andrew Stunell: The Government remain wholly committed to consulting faith communities on the development and implementation of policies that affect them, in the most effective way possible.
	My ministerial colleagues and I will continue to host tailored meetings with faith communities for detailed discussions on specific policies. On occasion there will also be the need to have collective round-table meetings to draw on the perspectives of faith communities on overarching areas of policy. These should take place as and when necessary.
	My Department will continue to lead the process of engagement with all faith communities.
	The Government recognise the vital contribution that faith communities make to civil society, and we are committed to facilitating linkages and tackling barriers that faith groups face. For instance my Department has invested £5 million in the Church Urban Fund's Near Neighbours programme, using the local infrastructure of the Church of England to build productive relationships between people from different faith backgrounds in four key geographical areas.

Council Housing: Fire Prevention

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received from local authorities in (a) Birmingham, (b) Manchester, (c) Sheffield, (d) Leeds, (e) Bristol, (f) Exeter and (g) Southampton on fire safety assessments on local authority owned residential property.

Bob Neill: We have received no representations from these local authorities in respect of fire safety in local authority-owned residential property.

Council Housing: Waiting Lists

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of people on the housing waiting list in each local authority were (a) married couples with children, (b) civil partners with children, (c) unmarried couples with children, (d) lone parents, (e) married couples without children, (f) civil partners without children, (g) unmarried couples without children and (h) single people without children in the latest period for which figures are available.

Grant Shapps: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Delegation of Powers

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration his Department is giving to further delegation of powers to city regions.

Greg Clark: The Government are supporting a cross party amendment to the Localism Bill, proposed by the Core Cities Group, which will support greater devolution to help drive economic prosperity and growth across England. This amendment will provide an enabling power to allow for the transfer of public functions and delegation of ministerial functions to cities and other localities to increase their economic competitiveness. Any transfer of powers to particular places would be for the decision of the relevant Secretary of State and subject to discussion and agreement with individual cities and affirmative resolutions in both houses of Parliament.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Bob Neill: Redfern Travel Ltd is the Department's travel management company for both rail and airline tickets.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on alcohol for the consumption of Ministers in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10; and from which suppliers.

Bob Neill: Information relating to the purchase of alcohol for ministerial consumption is not held separately on the Department's financial systems and it would be impossible to disaggregate this from records held about spend on total hospitality refreshments. Nor is it possible to separately identify spend on alcohol from Government Procurement Card records.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: Admin budgets for the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser were as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2006-07 66,000 
			 2007-08 38,000 
			 2008-09 227,000 
			 2009-10 229,000 
			 2010-11 188,000

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years.

Bob Neill: The salary of the Department for Communities and Local Government's Chief Scientific Adviser is publicly available on the DCLG website for the periods ending 31 March 2011 and 30 June 2010. Information is being provided only for these dates as it is already available in the public domain.
	On both of these dates, the salary was between £60,000 and £64,999. The individual in question works part time and salary is pro-rated accordingly. The full time equivalent salary of the individual is between £125,000 and £129,999.
	In the last five years, two individuals have held the post of Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

Bob Neill: Not including the Chief Scientific Adviser himself, staff numbers are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2006-07 1 
			 2007-08 1.08 
			 2008-09 1.67 
			 2009-10 2 
			 2010-11 2 
		
	
	The office has been in existence throughout the life of the Department for Communities and Local Government and its predecessor Department, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

Bob Neill: My Department is committed to handling science and engineering advice in accordance with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser's “Guidelines on the use of science and engineering advice in policy making”. The Building Regulations Advisory Committee is a non-departmental public body, and it operates in line with the “Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees” and the “Principles for Scientific Advice to Government”.
	Terms and conditions applying to contractors’ request that the contractor's personnel shall be appropriately experienced, qualified, trained and security cleared and shall undertake the services with reasonable skill, care and diligence in accordance with the contract and good industry practice and to the reasonable satisfaction of the Department.

Departmental Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many senior civil servants in his Department at each grade had worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Deloitte or KPMG immediately prior to taking up their appointment in each of the last four years; what consultancy agreements his Department had with those firms in each such year; and how many consultants from those firms have advised his Department in each such year.

Bob Neill: One senior civil servant, at Director Level, who started on 1 December 2008 worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers immediately prior to joining the Department.
	Appointments to the Department are made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition in accordance with the Constitutional Reform Act 2010, and conflicts of interest would be explored as part of the recruitment process.
	Departmental records show the following contracts with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and KPMG (no such contracts have been awarded to Ernst & Young) in the last four years:
	
		
			 Name Contract title Contract start date Contract end date 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Business and Town Centre Partnerships project 1 April 2006 31 April 2008 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Support to Internal Audit Function 27 November 2007 31 December 2010 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers ECO Towns Delivery Study 14 May 2008 31 October 2008 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Homeowners Mortgage Scheme Financial Support 16 January 2009 27 February 2009 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Eco Town Delivery Study—Phase 2 1 September 2008 27 March 2009 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Consultancy support to Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme 24 March 2009 30 June 2009 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers A study to identify the Thames Gateway Top 20 Schemes 12 June 2009 28 July 2009 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Modelling business plans for council landlords 26 January 2010 26 February 2010 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers A cost evaluation of the local area performance framework 2 September 2009 30 July 2010 
		
	
	
		
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Consultancy support to the project team managing the closure of the European Regional Development Fund 15 January 2010 31 March 2010 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Infrastructure Planning Commission ICT Consultancy 15 June 2009 31 July 2009 
			 Deloitte Development Study on the QE2 Conference Centre—Stage 1 1 July 2009 30 September 2012 
			 Deloitte DCLG Regional and Group Estates Strategies 15 October 2009 30 November 2009 
			 Deloitte Acquiring commercial intelligence on the Thames Gateway 7 July 2009 1 June 2010 
			 Deloitte Finance Process Improvement Support Consultancy 12 August 2008 30 September 2008 
			 Deloitte Business case for ERP Enabled Business Transformation 22 March 2010 14 May 2010 
			 KPMG Review of IT outsourcing project business case 2 March 2009 15 April 2009 
			 KPMG Sustainable communities events 7 July 2006 30 April 2008 
		
	
	The Department does not hold details of the number of consultants who may have advised the Department in the course of these contracts.

Departmental Procurement

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what methodology (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible use to estimate savings to the public purse made in respect of its procurement and purchasing since May 2010.

Bob Neill: On 15 November 2010, the Chief Secretary said in response to PQ 16752, Official Report, columns 615-16W, that the Government had announced a more specific and innovative approach to efficiency and reform across the public sector, including:
	a reduction in administration budgets of 34% across the whole of Whitehall and its arm's length bodies saving £5.9 billion a year by 2014-15;
	radically reducing the number of arm's length bodies across Government; and
	the Efficiency and Reform Group's tough new efficiency regime which will drive savings in procurement, major projects and estate management;
	and that, in result, Departments would no longer be required to report against the previous Government's failed efficiency target.
	In August 2011, the Minister for the Cabinet Office announced that the Efficiency and Reform Group's new measures had saved £3.75 billion over 2010-11.
	This impact was assessed using methodologies outlined in the following table. The assessment has been independently verified by Government auditors who found the benefits assertions to be fairly calculated and presented.
	These savings are borne out in department accounts. Note 9 ‘other administrative Costs’ of the Department's Report and Accounts 2010-11 (page 129) reports that non-pay gross admin costs for the Department reduced from £104 million in 2009-10 to £123 million in 2010-11, once early retirement costs of £64 million were taken into account. Figures in this report are prepared in accordance with HM Treasury's Financial Reporting Manual for central Government Departments and associated Treasury resource accounting and budgeting guidance.
	In particular the Department has made significant operational savings, by reducing demand and renegotiating commercial terms, £1.8 million in IT contracts and £2.4 million in temporary staffing and interim labour costs.
	The Department has achieved estimated net property running costs reductions of £9.8 million per annum since the start of the spending review period which includes £1.9 million in Estates requirements in the last financial year. In addition the Department has reduced its Research expenditure by 36% (£10.8 million) in 2010-11.
	
		
			 Activity and Calculation Method: An illustrative table of the cross-departmental approach 
			 Area Activity description Evidence base/calculation 
			 Consulting Government put in place a moratorium on new consulting spend, and extensions to existing contracts. Where spend was considered operationally critical (for example, where it might put at risk critical services) an exception process existed for Department Ministers to sign off expenditure over £20,000. Savings are calculated by subtracting total departmental reported spend on consultancy for 2010-11 from total departmental reported spend on consultancy for 2009-10. To reduce the risk of costs shifting between categories, we also monitored expenditure on other professional services categories, including contingent labour. 
			 Crown Commercial Government have renegotiated deals with some of the largest suppliers to government. The method of calculation varies according to the initiative that yields the saving, but was based on cash releasing savings against a baseline of what would have otherwise been spent. This was often price savings against the previous price paid. Savings agreed with suppliers are recorded in Memoranda of Understanding as guaranteed-in-year or conditional-in-year savings. Realised savings were subsequently tracked back to departmental verification of supplier progress reports. 
		
	
	
		
			 Contingent Labour Government have significantly cut the number of temporary staff. Savings are calculated by subtracting total departmental reported spend on contingent labour for 2010-11 from total departmental reported spend on contingent labour for 2009-10. 
			 Communications Government froze all new marketing spend unless it is an operational necessity. Where spend was proposed, ministerial sign-off was required for £20,000 or above. Calculations compare departmental spend on marketing and advertising through COI for 2010-11 with that for 2009-10. 
			 Centralising Procurement Government have started to centralise spend on common goods and services to drive down prices. These savings derive from the 10 categories of expenditure targeted for centralisation, and relate to price savings through increased aggregation. For each initiative, calculations are performed using individual benefit methodologies that set out how savings will be calculated against a 2009-10 price baseline. Evidence is management information provided by suppliers. 
			 ICT We implemented a moratorium on all new ICT spend above £1 million and a review of all on-going ICT commitments. Departments also reported those projects that were closed before undergoing the review. Calculations are based on departmental reports of spend that has not proceeded Spend that has not gone ahead in 2010-11 is recorded, as a result of stopping or reducing spend. Further, sustainable savings are targeted through the Government ICT strategy. 
			 Major Projects We reviewed the Government's biggest projects to see where 2010-11 costs could practically be reduced within contractual constraints, or wasteful projects stopped altogether. We have halted or curtailed spend on four projects: 14-19 Reform—£60 million; Identity Cards—£50 million; Highways Agency projects—£54 million; Whole Farm—£5 million. We have redacted £22 million of potential double counting from these figures that arises between this work and our supplier renegotiation work stream. £14.9 million arises from the Home Office National Identity Cards and £6.7 million from DEFRA Whole Farm. HMT have provided assurance that the relevant amounts were removed from departmental budgets following the major projects related negotiations. 
			 Property We put in place national property controls such that signature of new property leases or lease extensions were approved centrally. It has not always been possible to net off all costs associated with vacating buildings. However, we have also not claimed savings in respect of revenue from property disposals. Calculations are property by property based on the amount departments have reported saved through the Government's property database by non-renewal of property leases at lease breaks or upon lease expiry.

Enterprise Zones

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the unsuccessful bids were for the most recent round of enterprise zones; and for what reasons each such bid was unsuccessful.

Greg Clark: The competition generated a significant amount of interest and the Government received a number of very strong bids. The successful bids were better able to demonstrate how they matched the three criteria of sustainable economic growth, implementation and value for money.
	The unsuccessful bids for enterprise zones came from the following local enterprise partnerships:
	Greater Birmingham and Solihull;
	Coventry and Warwickshire;
	Cheshire and Warrington;
	Cumbria;
	Hertfordshire;
	Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire;
	Greater Lincolnshire;
	Coast to Capital;
	Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire;
	Worcestershire;
	York and North Yorkshire;
	Enterprise M3;
	Heart of the South West;
	Lancashire;
	Gloucestershire.
	In addition, the London local enterprise partnership submitted two bids for enterprise zones—one in Croydon and the other in Tottenham. Following subsequent conversations, a separate, unringfenced London Enterprise Fund has been set up which supersedes these proposals.
	Many of the unsuccessful bids contained strong economic ambitions, and Ministers are encouraged that several partnerships are exploring other ways to take forward their proposals. Officials have given feedback to unsuccessful bidders and will continue to work with them—on an individual basis where necessary—to support them in their ambitions for growth.
	A copy of the announcement naming the successful bids has been placed in the Library of the House:
	www.communities.gov.uk/news/newsroom/1967595

Enterprise Zones

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria were used to select the first 11 local enterprise zones.

Greg Clark: holding answer 9 September 2011
	Seven of the 11 local enterprise partnerships were selected on the basis that they encompass one or more of England's largest cities, ranked by population. The remaining four local enterprise partnerships were selected on the basis of need, using the published location criteria used to assess bids to the regional growth fund.

EU Grants and Loans

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press notice of 1 August 2011, on European Regional Development Funding, which (a) Ministers and (b) accounting officers were responsible for oversight of the 2000 to 2006 programme from 2000 to May 2010.

Bob Neill: The Secretaries of State with responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund 2000-2006 Programme for the period 2000 to May 2010 were:
	
		
			 Department Secretary of State Dates 
			 DETR Lord Prescott May 1997 to June 2001 
			 DTLR Rt. Hon Stephen Byers June 2001 to May 2002 
			 ODPM Lord Prescott May 2002 to May 2006 
			 DCLG Rt. Hon Ruth Kelly May 2006 to June 2007 
			 DCLG Rt. Hon Hazel Blears June 2007 to June 2009 
			 DCLG Rt. Hon John Denham June 2009 to May 2010 
			 DCLG Rt. Hon Eric Pickles May 2010— 
		
	
	The Permanent Secretaries with responsibility as accounting officers for the European Regional Development Fund 2000-2006 Programme for the period 2000 to May 2010 were:
	
		
			 Department Permanent Secretaries Dates 
			 DETR Sir Richard Mottram 1998 to 2001 
			 DTLR Sir Richard Mottram 2001 to May 2002 
			 ODPM Dame Mavis McDonald DCB May 2002 to September 2005 
			 ODPM Sir Peter Housden KCB September 2005 to May 2006 
			 DCLG Sir Peter Housden KCB May 2006 to June 2010

Fire Services: Manpower

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes in the fire service on emergency plans for (a) Aldermaston and (b) other weapons facilities.

Bob Neill: The Ministry of Defence is responsible for ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place for their weapons establishments. The chief fire and rescue adviser liaises closely with the Ministry of Defence’s fire and rescue service on a regular basis, and on a range of issues.
	Following the fire at Aldermaston AWE which took place on 3 August 2010, the Ministry of Defence’s fire and rescue service investigated the operational response to the incident and produced a report. This identified areas where improvements could be made, including arrangements with the Royal Berkshire fire and rescue service. This investigation has been completed and I understand the findings have been acted upon by the respective authorities.

Fire Services: Staffordshire

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received from the Chair of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority regarding business continuity in the event of a dispute; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Chair of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Councillor Leonard Bloomer, wrote to the Prime Minister on the 20 July, highlighting the difficulties his authority faced in maintaining business continuity, should there be a national dispute in the fire and rescue service. I replied to Councillor Bloomer, on behalf of the Prime Minister, in my capacity as Fire Minister on the 12 August.
	I indicated in my response that any form of national dispute in the fire and rescue service poses challenges to individual fire and rescue services. However, fire and rescue services do have a statutory duty to plan for such an event, and that is important that detailed planning starts as early as possible. A body of notable practice exists both within and outside the fire and rescue service which fire and rescue authorities should be using to develop their plans.

Government Procurement Card

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff of his Department and its predecessor were disciplined for misuse or abuse of the Government Procurement Card between 2005-06 and 2009-10.

Bob Neill: No staff in the Department for Communities and Local Government and its predecessor were disciplined for misuse or abuse of the Government Procurement Card between 2005-06 and 2009-10.

Government Procurement Card

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answers to the hon. Member for Dover of 30 June 2011, Official Report, column 892W, on the Government Procurement Card, what the name is of each Government Procurement Card holder authorising each of the transactions listed in the answer who was a member of the senior civil service or a ministerial private office.

Bob Neill: A column has been added to the original table identifying those card holders who were members of the senior civil service and where the card holders were based in a ministerial private office. As private office card holders were not members of the senior civil service their names have not been released.
	This amended table has been deposited in the Library of the House.
	My Department is committed to greater transparency over the use of the Government Procurement Card than under the last Administration, and has strengthened checks and balances to ensure protection of taxpayers' money.

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that residential tower blocks meet fire safety standards.

Bob Neill: Ensuring appropriate standards of fire safety are in place in residential tower blocks is the responsibility of the landlord or building owner who must comply with the provisions in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Housing Act 2004. Fire and Rescue Authorities and Environmental Health Officers have enforcement responsibilities in these premises and are encouraged to work together to ensure safety standards are being met.
	To support landlords and others to effectively put in place and manage appropriate fire safety arrangements, my Department provided funding to the Local Government Group to develop new fire safety guidance specifically for those with fire safety responsibilities in purpose built flats, including tower blocks.
	This guidance, developed in partnership with the housing and fire sector, was published on 29 July and is available on the Local Government Group and Department for Communities and Local Government website.
	www.communities.gov.uk/firesafety

Homelessness

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received from non-governmental organisations on the effects of his Department's policies on the level of homelessness.

Grant Shapps: This Department has received representations on homelessness from a range of voluntary organisations. Ministers from this Department regularly meet with key partners in the voluntary sector to discuss homelessness issues.
	I have also established the first ever cross-departmental ministerial working group bringing eight Departments together on homelessness to ensure better joined up working on this important issue.

Housing

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effects on the level of family breakdown of (a) house and rental prices and (b) housing supply.

Grant Shapps: The Department has made no assessment of such effects of house and rental prices and housing supply. However, the wider social effects specifically of ‘mortgage repossession’ were identified in a Department Research Report, ‘Evaluation of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme and Homeowners Mortgage Support’ published in July 2010.

Housing: Local Government Finance

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date he plans to announce the funding allocations arising from the Housing Market Renewal Transition Fund.

Grant Shapps: I expect to announce the outcome shortly.

Housing: Planning

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the possible use by the Planning Inspectorate of unmet five-year rolling housing delivery targets as a factor in decisions on appeal for housing developments on land outside the approved local development framework.

Bob Neill: The current policy of the Secretary of State is set out in paragraph 71 of Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 3, which advises local planning authorities to maintain an up-to-date five-year housing land supply. Where they have not achieved this objective, planning decision-makers are asked to consider planning applications for housing favourably, having regard to general policy safeguards set out in the PPS. Where there is an appeal, Planning Inspectors must consider this policy.
	The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), is currently consulting on a proposal to simplify and replace all planning policy statements with a single National Planning Policy Framework. The draft framework may change before it is approved. However, if it was approved as currently drafted, local planning authorities will be set an objective to increase the supply of housing. The draft policy suggests that authorities will identify and maintain a rolling supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years worth of housing against their housing requirements. Their five-year land supply should include:
	“an additional allowance of at least 20 per cent to ensure choice and competition in the market for land.”
	If this advice were not to be taken and a planning appeal were to follow, Planning Inspectors would consider the presumption in favour of sustainable development that is also set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. This would indicate that planning permission should be granted at appeal to meet the housing objectives of the framework, unless the adverse impacts of allowing the development would significantly and demonstrably outweigh its benefits, when assessed against the policies in the framework taken as a whole.

Housing: Planning Permission

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of new homes for which planning permission has been granted but construction has not yet commenced in the last three years.

Bob Neill: In England at 31 July 2011 there were 250,000 dwellings with detailed planning permission on sites where construction has not yet commenced, according to estimates by the Homes and Communities Agency. These outstanding planning permissions amount to just over one year’s projected average annual household growth (232,000 household per annum until 2033).

Interreg IVA France (Channel) England Programme

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) monetary value, (b) recipient and (c) purpose was of each grant made under the Interreg IVA France (Channel) England programme since the scheme's inception.

Bob Neill: The information requested has been drawn from the website set up by the programme's managing authority (Région Haute-Normandie) and is set out in a table which has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Ministers are of the view that a number of these programmes, inherited from the last Administration, do not represent good value for money for the taxpayer. I am also placing in the Library of the House a copy of a letter from the Secretary of State to the European Commission on this issue.

Local Development Frameworks

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to put in place a fast-track procedure to approve existing local development frameworks to bring them up to date with the national planning policy framework.

Greg Clark: The last Government's Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 added significant complexity and delay to the planning system. As highlighted on 23 February 2010, Official Report, column 497WA, by the beginning of 2010—six years after the Act—only 61 core strategies had been adopted.
	In this context, we are currently considering what steps central Government can take to help local authorities speed up the system.

Local Development Frameworks

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials in his Department worked on the draft of the national planning policy framework produced by his Department.

Greg Clark: A wide range of officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government and other Government Departments were involved to varying degrees in the development of the draft national planning policy framework.

Local Development Frameworks

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials in his Department worked on the draft of the national planning policy framework produced by the practitioners’ advisory group.

Greg Clark: The suggested draft of the practitioners’ advisory group was the conclusions of the members of the group, rather than of the Government. A small number of officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government provided administrative support to the group and officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government and other Government Departments met with the practitioners during the course of their work.

Local Development Frameworks

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what (a) financial assistance and (b) other support his Department plans to provide to local authorities which do not have a local development framework in place to introduce one;
	(2)  what (a) financial assistance and (b) other support his Department plans to provide to local authorities to update their local development frameworks;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the adequacy of local authority resources to produce or update local development frameworks.

Greg Clark: Councils' statutory planning functions are financed through formula grant. As with all local government functions and services, there is significant potential for councils to make savings and do more for less through better procurement and joint working.
	A number of our reforms are reducing planning burdens on local authorities—such as through reducing the need for unnecessary planning applications and the abolition of regional planning.
	My Department has also provided £3 million of funding in 2011-12 to the Planning Advisory Service to provide consultancy and peer support, learning events and online resources to assist councils on planning reform.

Local Development Frameworks

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what legal advice his Department has sought on whether (a) adopted and (b) post-examination local development frameworks will be technically out-of-date once the national planning policy framework is adopted.

Greg Clark: In line with the practice of previous administrations, the Government do not disclose their legal advice.
	Notwithstanding, it is a common occurrence—under this and previous administrations—for central Government to make amendments or updates to national planning guidance.
	In such circumstances, it is a matter for the local planning authority to assess the weight and relevance to be given to the new policies when making decisions on individual planning applications.

Local Government Finance: Greater London

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of each representation from the Greater London Authority on the (a) Balance of Funding Review and (b) Lyons Inquiry into local government finance.

Bob Neill: Copies of the Greater London Authority's responses to the Lyons Inquiry and the Balance of Funding Review have been placed in the Library of the House.

Local Government: Billing

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he has taken to encourage local authorities to pay their creditors in a timely fashion.

Bob Neill: The arrangements for payment of their creditors are a matter for individual local authorities.
	To challenge the culture of late payment that persists across the UK economy, the Government have worked with the UK's leading business and finance organisations to develop a strategy for challenging the long-standing culture of late payment. One element of this strategy is to establish the public sector as a payment exemplar. Across the public sector the standard payment target is 30 days and we have further extended this target to tier one suppliers to ensure the benefits of prompt payment are felt through the supply chain.
	Government Departments have been set a target of paying 80% of supplier invoices within five working days. DCLG paid 82.32% of invoices for the period April to September 2011 within five working days. The Department has agreed to bring forward payments to all businesses, given the role of larger businesses in the supply chain.

Ministerial Policy Advisers: Complaints

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether any formal complaints from officials in his Department have been received in respect of the conduct of his special advisers since May 2010.

Bob Neill: No complaints have been received from officials in the Department for Communities and Local Government in respect of the conduct of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government's Special Advisers since May 2010.

Non-domestic Rates

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the potential effect of proposals for the future of the national non-domestic rating pool on Sunderland city council in the next three financial years;
	(2)  if he will take steps to mitigate any loss of net income to Sunderland city council arising from proposed changes to the national non-domestic rating pool;
	(3)  if he will estimate the funds required to replace any annual loss of net income to local authorities arising from proposed changes to the national non-domestic rating pool in the next three financial years.

Bob Neill: As the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles) told the House in his oral statement on 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 662-64, our proposals ensure a fair starting point, so that no local authority is worse off at the outset of the scheme as a result of their business rates base.
	The suggestion made by the hon. Member in her local media that Sunderland city council “will lose up to £58 million a year” has no basis in fact and is simply wrong.
	Our proposals include protections for councils across the country, including a safety net for places in need of additional support.

Non-domestic Rates

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much each local authority collected in national non-domestic rates in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Neill: I have today placed in the Library of the House a table giving details of the amount of national non-domestic rates collected by each local authority in England, from 2001-02 to 2010-11.
	The figures shown in the table are the amount of national non-domestic rates collected by each local authority in England after reliefs and before allowances for collection costs.
	The data are taken from national non-domestic rates (NNDR3) out-turn returns submitted annually by all billing authorities in England.
	I would note that the Government’s proposals for the local retention of business rates will include a range of protections to ensure councils can meet local needs, including a safety net for places in need of additional support, funded by a levy recovering a share of disproportionate gain. The new regime will also introduce incentives for councils to promote local economic growth, so thereby creating the potential to increase aggregate revenues from business rates compared to the current regime.

Non-domestic Rates: Yorkshire and the Humber

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of business rate localisation on economic growth in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Bob Neill: Our proposed reforms will provide new incentives for councils to promote local economic growth, encouraging them to work closely with local businesses and create the right conditions for local firms to expand and prosper.

Planning Permission

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to paragraph 51 of the draft national planning policy framework, what legal advice his Department has (a) sought and (b) received on the precedence of the neighbourhood plan over existing policies in a local development plan.

Greg Clark: Under Section 38(6) of the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Once a neighbourhood plan is brought into force its policies will form part of the development plan for the local area.
	The Localism Bill requires all neighbourhood plans and neighbourhood development orders to be in general conformity with the strategic policies of the local plan that applies to the neighbourhood area.

Planning Permission

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to paragraphs 62 and 63 of the draft national planning policy framework, what legal advice his Department has (a) sought and (b) received on how development management works in law.

Greg Clark: Paragraph 62 of the draft National Planning Policy Framework confirms the existing position on the role of the development plan in the determination of planning applications. It fully reflects Section 70(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004.

Planning Permission

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the planned timetable is for implementation of the national planning policy framework.

Greg Clark: The Department's Structural Reform Plan includes a commitment to produce the final National Planning Policy Framework by April 2012.

Planning Permission

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to paragraph 28 of the draft national planning policy framework, where the inputs of the Strategic Housing Market Assessment will be defined.

Greg Clark: Current guidance on the preparation of Strategic Housing Market Assessments can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningand building/strategichousingmarket

Planning Permission

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  with reference to paragraph 109 of the draft national planning policy framework, if he will place in the Library a copy of each document containing the evidence base for the added 20 per cent. housing target for choice and competition;
	(2)  with reference to paragraph 109 of the draft national planning policy framework, what assessment his Department has made of how the 20 per cent. housing target for choice and competition will work in areas of constraint or low demand.

Greg Clark: The evidence base for policies in the draft national planning policy framework is set out in the consultation stage impact assessment which was published on 25 July 2011 and placed in the Library of the House.

Planning Permission

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to assist local authorities in preparing for the implementation of the national planning policy framework.

Greg Clark: The draft framework is currently out for consultation. As part of the public consultation process, we are holding a series of events across England offering opportunities for councils, community groups, the development industry and local people to express their views directly to us. For example, we arranged, with the Planning Officers’ Society, a specific event to bring together planners from across England to discuss the draft framework on 26 September 2011.
	The draft framework includes a draft policy that states it will be open to councils to seek a ‘certificate of conformity’ with national policy to assist councils in identifying which of their existing local policies may be consistent with the national planning policy framework and which may not be, and will consider any representations made on this point in the current consultation. We are currently considering how this procedure can be offered free to councils.

Planning Permission

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance the Planning Inspectorate has issued to local planning authorities on what consideration should be given to the draft national planning policy framework in planning decisions; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: holding answer 15 September 2011
	My Department’s chief planner wrote to all local authority chief planning officers announcing the publication of the draft national planning policy framework. This letter can be seen on the Planning Portal and the DCLG website.
	The Planning Inspectorate has also issued advice to inspectors on the consultation document and this can be seen on the Planning Portal and the Planning Inspectorate website.

Planning Permission

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications have been (a) submitted, (b) approved and (c) rejected in each local authority area in each of the last four quarters.

Bob Neill: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The number of applications received, decided, approved and refused for each local planning authority in England for the quarters April to June 2010, July to September 2010, October to December 2010 and January to March 2011 are shown in a table that has been placed in the Library of the House.

Planning Permission

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with which organisations his Department has had meetings to discuss the National Planning Policy Framework since May 2010.

Greg Clark: Officials routinely meet with a wide range of organisations to discuss planning matters. Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on my Department's website.

Planning Permission

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  with which organisations he has had meetings to discuss the National Planning Policy Framework since April 2011;
	(2)  with which organisations the Minister of State for Housing and Local Government has had meetings to discuss the National Planning Policy Framework since April 2011;
	(3)  with which organisations the Minister of State for Decentralisation has had meetings to discuss the National Planning Policy Framework since April 2011.

Greg Clark: My Department routinely publishes details of ministerial meetings on the departmental website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/transparencyingovernment/ministerialdata

Planning Permission

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects of implementation of the National Planning Policy Framework on the level of judicial reviews in respect of planning applications; and what assessment he has made of the risk of a judicial review in respect of the process for introducing the National Planning Policy Framework;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential effects of his National Planning Policy Framework on the (a) legal profession and (b) courts system.

Greg Clark: The impact assessment accompanying the draft National Planning Policy Framework contains an assessment of the potential effects of the draft National Planning Policy Framework on the justice system. The process of reducing and simplifying planning policy will lead to a reduction in the number of planning decisions that are referred to the courts. This is because there will be less complexity, less contradiction and a clearer statement of Government policy, as a result of streamlining planning policy (Part A) and of the greater likelihood of having local plans.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the national planning policy framework on planning appeals.

Greg Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the published Impact Assessment, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the assessment of the potential impact on appeals of the national planning policy framework made by the planning inspectorate on the day his Department receives the assessment.

Greg Clark: Information about the expected impact on appeal cases is contained in the consultation stage impact assessment. A final impact assessment will be published alongside the final national planning policy framework, and a copy will be provided to the House.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications in each development category have been referred to the Secretary of State in each of the last five years; and how many such applications so referred have been called in for determination in each of those years.

Bob Neill: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Referral type Numbers referred Numbers called in 
			 2006 Departure 620 17 
			  Flooding 2 0 
			  Green Belt 59 1 
			  Shopping 94 5 
			  Playing Field 20 0 
			  Housing Density 2 0 
			  Greenfield Housing 34 0 
			     
			 2007 Departure 597 14 
			  Flooding 20 4 
			  Green Belt 68 2 
			  Shopping 99 2 
		
	
	
		
			  Playing Field 16 0 
			     
			 2008 Departure 574 10 
			  Flooding 20 4 
			  Green Belt 81 4 
			  Shopping 99 10 
			  Playing Field 11 0 
			  2009 flooding 0 0 
			  2009 Greenbelt 0 0 
			  2009 outside Town Centre 1 0 
			  2009 playing field 1 0 
			  2009 World Heritage Site 0 0 
			     
			 2009 Departure 221 1 
			  Flooding 5 2 
			  Green Belt 39 1 
			  Shopping 37 4 
			  Playing Field 13 0 
			  2009 flooding 3 1 
			  2009 Greenbelt 72 0 
			  2009 outside Town Centre 45 0 
			  2009 playing field 21 0 
			  2009 World Heritage Site 0 0 
			     
			 2010 Departure 18 0 
			  Flooding 0 0 
			  Green Belt 0 0 
			  Shopping 0 0 
			  Playing Field 0 0 
			  2009 flooding 4 1 
			  2009 Greenbelt 157 4 
			  2009 outside Town Centre 93 0 
			  2009 playing field 50 0 
			  2009 World Heritage Site 3 0 
			     
			 2011(1) Departure 2 0 
			  Flooding 0 0 
			  Green Belt 2 0 
			  Shopping 0 0 
			  Playing Field 0 0 
			  2009 flooding 0 0 
			  2009 Greenbelt 54 0 
			  2009 outside Town Centre 46 0 
			  2009 playing field 20 0 
			  2009 World Heritage Site 0 0 
			 (1) To 31 August. Notes: 1. The criteria for referral of application to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has changed over the five year period. 2. As of 1 April 2007 the Greenfield and Housing Density direction were cancelled. Also on 20 April 2009 the Consultation Directions 2009 superseded the remaining referral directions with departure from the local plan no longer included as a reason for referral and development on a World Heritage Site introduced as a reason for referral. Data Source: DCLG Planet Database

Planning Permission: Appeals

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish the Planning Inspectorate's assessment of the potential effects on the level of planning appeals of implementation of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Bob Neill: I once again refer the hon. Member to the published Impact Assessment a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Planning Permission: Offices

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the removal of office development from the town centre first policy on sustainable transport on (a) the removal of car parking standards and (b) other sustainable transport matters.

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what impact assessment he has made of the effects on the sustainability of high streets of the removal of office development from the Town Centre First policy.

Bob Neill: A consultation stage impact assessment was published alongside the draft National Planning Policy Framework on 25 July 2011. This includes consideration of the expected impact of changes in current planning policy.

Planning Permission: Rural Areas

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many out-of-town planning applications referred to him have been called in since May 2010.

Bob Neill: No out-of-town applications have been called in by the Secretary of State between 1 May 2010 and 31 August 2011.

Planning: Appeals

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning appeals in each category the Planning Inspectorate considered in each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of such appeals in each category were (a) upheld and (b) dismissed.

Bob Neill: The following tables show the numbers of planning appeals in each procedure category considered by the Planning Inspectorate in each of the last five years. The tables also show the percentage that were upheld and dismissed. Please note that from 6 April 2009 a new procedure category, Householder Appeal Service, was introduced and is a sub category of Written Representations.
	
		
			 Written Representations  (1) 
			  Decided Upheld Percentage upheld Percentage dismissed 
			 2006-07 16,705 5,557 33 67 
			 2007-08 16,875 5,732 34 66 
			 2008-09 16,854 5,332 32 68 
			 2009-10 12,418 3,695 30 70 
			  (1)(2,218) (1)(714) (1)(32) (1)(68) 
			 2010-11 9,396 2,827 30 70 
			  (1)(4,959) (1)(1,741) (1)(35) (1)(65) 
			 (1 )Householder Appeal Service shown in brackets. 
		
	
	
		
			 Hearings 
			  Decided Upheld Percentage upheld Percentage dismissed 
			 2006-07 3,216 1,169 36 64 
			 2007-08 2,252 873 39 61 
			 2008-09 3,332 1,312 39 61 
			 2009-10 2,174 847 39 61 
			 2010-11 1,160 461 40 60 
		
	
	
		
			 Inquiries 
			  Decided Upheld Percentage upheld Percentage dismissed 
			 2006-07 937 439 47 53 
			 2007-08 889 478 54 46 
			 2008-09 901 432 48 52 
			 2009-10 561 297 53 47 
			 2010-11 337 165 49 51

Regional Planning and Development

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish for consultation his Department's environmental assessment of the revocation of regional strategies; and if he will publish the environmental report for each region separately.

Bob Neill: I announced in a written ministerial statement on 5 April 2011, Official Report, column 52WS, that the Government are undertaking a voluntary assessment of the likely significant environmental effects of revoking all eight regional strategies which will be published as eight separate reports. I will announce the start of public consultation on the assessments shortly.

Sports: Planning Permission

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the likelihood of sport and recreation facilities being closed as a result of the implementation of changes to the planning system;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the long-term future of sport and recreation facilities of the draft National Planning Policy Framework.

Greg Clark: The coalition agreement included a commitment to help support important community facilities and services. In line with this, the draft National Planning Policy Framework seeks to increase planning protection for community facilities.
	The new guidance proposes to strengthen current policy by asking local councils to consider the availability and viability of community facilities as part of the plan making process and to develop policies to safeguard against their unnecessary loss.
	The Government's objective is to create strong, vibrant and healthy communities. To help achieve this, the draft framework is clear that the planning system should ensure access to open spaces and recreational facilities that promote the health and well-being of the community. The Government are also introducing a new designation to protect valued local green spaces, which has the potential to provide additional planning protection to playing fields and other open green spaces.
	These measures will also be supported by the Community Right to Buy in the Localism Bill which will provide additional protection for community assets.

Sports: Planning Permission

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if he will meet the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport to discuss the arrangements in the planning system to protect sports and recreation facilities;
	(2)  if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport the potential effect on sport and recreation facilities of the draft National Planning Policy Framework.

Greg Clark: Ministers within the Department for Communities and Local Government already regularly meet colleagues from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Sports: Planning Permission

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions he has had with representatives of the sport and recreation sector on the draft National Planning Policy Framework.

Greg Clark: Ministers and officials have been meeting with a wide range of organisations as part of our consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, including organisations with a particular interest in sports and recreation.

Standards for England: Credit Cards

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Standards Board for England has used a corporate credit card or charge card in the last three years; and what records are held of transactions on any such card.

Bob Neill: The Standards Board for England has a corporate credit card which is used to pay for goods and services which cannot be paid for by BACS transfer or cheque. Detailed records of transactions are held by the Standards Board.

Sustainable Communities

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) cost of implementation of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.

Greg Clark: The Sustainable Communities Act 2007 Act was amended in April 2010 in response to feedback from stakeholders and to allow procedures for receiving, considering and deciding proposals under the Act to be improved. The Department has consulted on detailed arrangements for implementing the Sustainable Communities Act and submissions were received from 26 interested parties. The Government are currently considering their response.

Sustainable Development

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what definitions of sustainable development are used by his Department.

Bob Neill: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The classic definition of sustainable definition, set out by the Brundtland Commission, is development that meets the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is reflected in the Government’s vision for sustainable development published in February 2011 and by this Department in their work including the consultation draft of the national planning policy framework.

Travel: Concessions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the costs of administering the concessionary travel scheme by local authorities since its introduction.

Bob Neill: The national implementation of the concessionary travel scheme occurred in 2008. The following table shows net expenditure on the scheme for each of the financial years from 2008-09 to 2011-12. This expenditure includes administration costs but predominantly consists of reimbursements to bus operators. The costs of administering the scheme are not separately identified in centrally held data.
	
		
			  Net cost1 (£ million) 
			 2008-09 (Outturn) 990 
			 2009-10 (Outturn) 1,000 
			 2010-11 (Budget) 1,111 
			 2011-12 (Budget) 1,158 
			 (1) Net cost is equal to the sum of employee costs and running expenses (e.g. premises and transport related expenditure, supplies and services, third party payments etc.) and offset by income from sales, fees and charges (e.g. charge for replacement or reissuing of lost travel passes) and other sources of income (e.g. income from issuing or renewal of subsidised rail cards offered to the over 65 and disabled people).

Travellers: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to prevent the illegal occupation of land by Travellers in Peterborough constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The police and local authorities have powers under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to direct trespassers from land. We are removing the top down targets for Traveller site provision by local authorities which fuelled opposition to the development of Traveller sites. Local authorities will be responsible for determining the right level of Traveller site provision in their area to meet local need and historic demand. We will encourage councils to provide sites with incentives through the New Homes Bonus scheme and we have secured £60 million grant funding to help councils and other registered providers deliver new Traveller sites.
	We are increasing enforcement powers available to councils to tackle unauthorised development more effectively, including stopping the abuse of retrospective planning permission.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what measures relating to tackling the UK's outsourced emissions will be included in his Department's updated Carbon Plan.

Gregory Barker: The Department's updated Carbon Plan will focus on territorial emissions (including the effect of the EU Emissions Trading System), in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change reporting framework and our reporting requirements under the Climate Change Act 2008.
	We recognise the importance of tackling outsourced emissions if we are successfully to deliver our climate change objectives. We are therefore working hard to secure an international agreement with commitments from all key countries to reduce emissions, which is the most direct way to reduce all emissions, including those related to consumption.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) currently uses the Department for Business Innovation and Skills' contract with Carlson Wagonlit Travel for booking air travel.
	Some airlines flying direct from the UK to certain overseas destinations accept only direct bookings. In these cases where a direct flight cannot be booked through the travel management companies DECC staff may book direct with the airline.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Gregory Barker: DECC currently uses the Department for Business Innovation and Skills' contracts for hotel and travel bookings. Contracts are in place with the following companies:
	Redfern Travel—domestic rail travel;
	Expotel—domestic hotel stays; and
	Carlson Wagonlit Travel—air travel, overseas rail travel and overseas hotel stays.
	From 1 December 2011 DECC will move to the pan-Government contracts that are being put in place.
	Staff are expected to make all bookings through the contracted suppliers where feasible. Some airlines flying direct from the UK to certain overseas destinations accept only direct bookings. In these cases where a direct flight cannot be booked through the travel management companies DECC may book direct with the airline.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Gregory Barker: DECC's first chief scientific adviser (CSA) joined the Department in October 2009.
	The Department's chief scientific adviser is responsible for ensuring the best science and engineering advice underpins DECC's policy and decision-making. The resource budget for the CSA's Office is as follows:
	
		
			 CSA office budget 
			  Total (£000) 
			 2009-10 from October 2009 180 
			 2010-11 529 
			 2011-12 614

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years.

Gregory Barker: Since DECC was formed in October 2008 there has so far, been only one chief scientific adviser appointed. The chief scientific adviser has been engaged by DECC since October 2009. His salary costs to date fall in the following pay brackets, as disclosed in the Remuneration Report of DECC's annual resource accounts: £65,000 to £70,000 in 2009-10 and £140,000 to £145,000 in 2010-11. The chief scientific officer is seconded to DECC from Cambridge University who are reimbursed for his payroll costs. No VAT is payable.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

Gregory Barker: The office of chief scientific adviser was established on 1 October 2009.
	Staffing levels for the support office (including the post of chief scientific adviser) are as follows:
	March 2010: 3.8 FTE plus 0.8 on secondment, with salary costs covered 100% by seconding organisation;
	March 2011: 4.8 FTE;
	September 2011: 4.8 FTE including 1.0 FTE supporting policy analysis in other parts of DECC.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

Gregory Barker: DECC does not apply a one-size fits all approach. NDPBs have terms of reference that set out how they will go about their activities. Contractors who provide scientific advice, or any other form of evidence, to DECC, are required, in tender documentation to set out how they will acquire, and quality assure the evidence they will provide. Tenders are scrutinised by experts within the Department and contracts are only awarded to those contractors who have demonstrated they can deliver high quality evidence.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Gregory Barker: The average hourly rates the Department paid external solicitors could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department paid the external barristers it engaged at the rates published on the Treasury Solicitor’s Department’s website:
	
		
			  Per hour (£) 
			 First Treasury Counsel 220 
			 Queen’s Counsel 180 to 250 
			 Attorney-General’s A panel of counsel 120 
			 Attorney-General’s B panel of counsel 100 
			 Attorney-General’s C panel of counsel 60 to 80 
		
	
	The Department uses the following guidance in commissioning external legal advice:
	Attorney-General’s guidelines on the use of the private sector for Government legal work
	Treasury Solicitor’s Department’s guidance on the use of counsel
	Government Legal Service guidance on best practice for Government lawyers managing private sector provision of legal services
	Government Legal Service legal services procurement protocol
	Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) procurement code and procurement guidance, including guidance on the use of external law firms.
	Some information covering sums above £500 paid directly to certain solicitors’ firms and barristers DECC engaged in 2010-11 is available on the DECC website at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/expenditure/spend_over_500/spend_over_500.aspx
	Comprehensive information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Energy

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of progress towards a single market in energy.

Charles Hendry: The Third Package of EU energy market liberalisation has established a framework for agreeing detailed cross-border technical codes. These will facilitate the linking of gas and electricity markets across national borders and provide practical impetus to the creation of a single EU energy market, consistent with the target of 2014 set by the European Council. Progress is being made on developing these codes; the first is likely to be agreed early next year.

Energy: Prices

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received from energy consumers on charges in energy bills to underwrite decarbonisation.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials receive written responses to consultations, meet with consumer groups and respond to correspondence from consumers, domestic and business, on a regular basis relating to the costs associated with implementing its decarbonisation programmes.
	Quarterly lists of DECC Ministers' meetings that involve outside interested parties are published on the DECC website:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/registers/ministermtgs/ministermtgs.aspx

Fuel Poverty

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to prevent households falling into fuel poverty as a result of the introduction of a floor price for carbon; what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of households in fuel poverty consequent upon such introduction; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: The Government recognise that the carbon price floor will marginally increase consumer bills. The estimated impacts of a carbon price floor on fuel poverty were set out in an impact assessment that was published alongside the Carbon Price Floor Consultation in December 2010. These estimates suggested that a price floor targeting £30/tCO2 would result in an additional 50,000-90,000 fuel poor households in England in 2020.
	Government are committed to supporting vulnerable consumers and tackling fuel poverty and are putting in place a range of policies to contribute towards these aims. These include the introduction of the Warm Home Discount to assist more of the most vulnerable households with their energy bills and introducing the Green Deal from 2012 so that households can improve their energy efficiency at no upfront cost, repaying through their savings on energy bills.
	Alongside this, the Energy Company Obligation will provide additional support to where it is most needed, including for the poorest and most vulnerable and for hard to treat homes. The carbon price floor consultation document and impact assessment can be found at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consult_carbon _price_support.htm

Methane: Arctic

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the most recent estimate is of the rate of Arctic methane release; what factors his Department has identified as contributing to such a release rate; and what assessment his Department has made of the (a) historic and (b) potential effects on the environment of such a rate of release.

Gregory Barker: Recent research suggests that the rate of methane release from the high Northern latitudes that include the Arctic, is around 10 million to 40 million tonnes per year, approximately 2% to 8% of total global methane emissions and 5% to 20% of natural methane emissions.
	As temperatures increase, the main factors contributing to this Arctic release rate are emissions from wetlands (which are the predominant source), melting permafrost, and methane hydrates beneath the Arctic ocean. Emissions from methane hydrates are, however, considered to be relatively very small and are most uncertain.
	Research indicates that the increase in atmospheric methane concentrations since pre-industrial times, and their related temperature effects, have been caused by anthropogenic emissions and not by changes in natural emissions from high Northern latitudes or other sources. Future methane releases from Arctic permafrost and wetlands are highly uncertain but are currently projected to increase as temperatures rise, thereby amplifying global warming and its potential impacts on ecosystems and societies.

Microgeneration Certification Scheme

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme on small companies operating as energy installers in Wales.

Gregory Barker: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is a UK-wide scheme with coverage in Wales. The overall number of MCS installer companies is 3,269 companies in the UK, of which 124 are based in Wales. A breakdown is provided as follows of the number of installer companies for each technology for the period 2010-11:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Solar Thermal 38 
			 Wind turbines 8 
			 Hydro 4 
			 GSHP 26 
		
	
	
		
			 All MCS heat pumps 26 
			 Micro C-HP 0 
			 Solar PV 84 
			 Biomass 8 
			 ASHP 28 
		
	
	The Welsh Government (WG), has been taking forward a number of measures through the Energy Saving Trust. It supports the Supply Chain Development Programme which helps Welsh installers to achieve MCS certification and aims to equips them with the tools, techniques and business connections to help them to compete for microgeneration contracts. It has provided interest-free loans for certification fees, subsidized QMS training, signposting to WG training and development and one to one guidance. The programme has also addressed the need to unlock the supply chain of a Welsh labour force working on Welsh homes. A number of events and seminars have been held across Wales to promote the scheme. As a result, a 254% rise in the number of certificated installers in Wales has occurred since 1 August 2010.

Nuclear Power Stations

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has considered the feasibility of constructing in the UK floating nuclear power stations similar to the MH-1A.

Charles Hendry: Ultimately it is for the industry to consider and propose what type of reactors they may wish to operate in the UK, the designs of which would be subject to independent regulatory assessment and acceptance. To date, no potential operator has put forward proposals for a floating plant in the UK.

Nuclear Power Stations

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Committee on Climate Change Renewable Energy Review, May 2011, page 40, what work his Department has done on uncertainties in respect of the (a) costs, (b) site availability, (c) long-term fuel supply and waste disposal and (d) public acceptability of nuclear power.

Charles Hendry: On page 40 of the Renewable Energy Review the Committee on Climate Change give their view that:
	“nuclear power should be part of the energy mix assuming safety concerns can be addressed, but that full reliance would be inappropriate”
	given (a) to (d).
	The Government believe in having a diverse mix of all types of power generation so as to ensure that we are not dependent on any one type of generation or one source of fuel or power. This helps to ensure security of supply. Nuclear power is a low carbon proven technology which should be part of that energy mix.
	The Government have carried out two public consultations on the Nuclear National Policy statement. The Government responses to these consultations summarise points made by the public and the Government's view on costs, suitability of sites and waste disposal and are available here:
	Response to the 2010-11 consultation:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/consents-planning/nps2011/1945-govt-resp-consultation-on-nps.pdf
	Response to the 2009-10 consultation:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110302182042/https://www.energynpsconsultation.decc.gov.uk/docs/GovernmentResponsetoConsultation-October2010.pdf

Nuclear Power Stations: Accidents

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's assessment is of the risk of a disaster similar to (a) Fukushima and (b) Chernobyl happening in (i) the UK and (ii) the countries of the former Soviet Union.

Charles Hendry: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), asked the UK Chief Nuclear Inspector, Dr Mike Weightman, to provide a report to the Government on the implications of the unprecedented events in Japan and the lessons to be learned for the UK nuclear industry. This interim report was presented on 18 May 2011.
	Dr Weightman's interim report gives a clear indication that the UK's current safety regime remains robust and therefore, so far as is reasonably practicable, the levels of protection currently in place are appropriate compared to the level of risk to ensure safety at the UK's nuclear power plants.
	Dr Weightman is currently finalising his report and the Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR) are working with industry on the UK input into the EU Stress Tests. Their progress reports, submitted on 15 September, showed that thus far operators and the ONR have failed to find any fundamental weaknesses at the UK's nuclear power plants.
	The UK are currently actively participating in the efforts of the IAEA to strengthen the international nuclear safety framework with a view to raising standards of safety and thereby reducing the risk of a nuclear accident. However, in the event of a nuclear related accident in another country, the UK has in place measures to respond to such an accident and would invoke its overseas nuclear accident plan.

Nuclear Power Stations: Safety

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department made a comparison of the safety of British nuclear reactors and (a) VVER-440, (b) VVER-1000, (c) Atucha, (d) HIFAR and (e) Fukushima models.

Charles Hendry: The Office for Nuclear Regulation is the UK’s nuclear safety and security regulator.
	In undertaking this work they adhere to the principle of continuous improvement, taking into account experience and lessons learned from the operation of other nuclear plants and regulatory regimes across the world.

Offshore Industry: Carbon Capture

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on investment in carbon capture and storage technologies in redundant offshore oil and gas fields.

Charles Hendry: The re-use of redundant offshore oil and gas facilities, where this is feasible and cost-effective, is one option for the permanent storage of carbon dioxide as part of Carbon Capture and Storage. The Government introduced measures as part of the Energy Bill 2011 to facilitate the conversion of offshore oil and gas facilities to carbon dioxide storage. Additionally the CCS demonstration programme will facilitate the development of offshore storage opportunities, including the use of redundant oil and gas facilities where appropriate.

Renewable Energy

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the UK's energy requirement was met from (a) wind power, (b) solar power, (c) wave power and (d) other renewable energy sources in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2010.

Charles Hendry: The following table shows the proportion of primary energy supply, and electricity generation, met by wind power, solar power, wave power, and other renewable energy sources, in 2009 and 2010.
	
		
			  Percentage of primary energy supply Percentage of electricity generation 
			  2009 2010 2009 2010 
			 Wind power 0.4 0.4 2.5 2.7 
			 Solar photovoltaics and active solar heating <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 
			 Wave power <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 
			 Other renewable energy sources(1) 2.8 2.9 4.2 4.1 
			 (1) Excluding non-biodegradable wastes. 
		
	
	Primary energy supply data from tables DUKES 1.1 and 1.2, available at:
	http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/source/total/total.aspx
	Primary renewable energy supply data from table DUKES 7.6, available at:
	http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/source/renewables/renewables.aspx
	Total electricity generation data from table DUKES 5.6, available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/source/electricity/electricity.aspx
	Renewable electricity generation data from table DUKES 7.4, available at:
	http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/source/renewables/renewables.aspx

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the (a) number and (b) average annual load factors of solar photovoltaic installations in receipt of feed-in tariffs that are situated (i) north of 57 degrees latitude and (ii) north of 58 degrees latitude.

Gregory Barker: The latitude of FIT installations is not recorded on the central register. The number of installations in the local authorities which lie on the latitudes mentioned are given in the following table. DECC uses an average load factor for photovoltaic installations across the UK as a whole, and this cannot currently be broken down on a regional basis. More specific load factor estimates may be available commercially.
	
		
			 Local authority Number of photovoltaic installations confirmed onto F  I  Ts register as at 31 August 2011 
			 57 degrees latitude  
			 Aberdeen City 39 
			 Aberdeenshire 198 
			 Moray 56 
			 Highland 171 
			   
			 58 degrees latitude  
			 Eilean Siar 5 
			 Orkney Islands 8 
			 Shetland Islands 0

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what dates he informed representatives of the solar industry of proposed changes to support for solar feed-in tariff project extensions built within 12 months of the review start date of August 2011; and when he expects such changes to take effect.

Gregory Barker: Proposed changes to the rules on extensions under the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme were set out in a consultation which was published on 27 July 2011. On the same day stakeholders, including representatives of the solar industry, were notified of the consultation.
	The consultation closed on 31 August and the decision document was published on 27 September with changes to be implemented 18 October 2011.

Timber: Imports

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the proportion of wood co-fired with coal in electricity generating plants that has been imported.

Charles Hendry: DECC does not hold information on the proportion of wood co-fired with coal in electricity generating plant sourced from outside the UK.
	In 2010, 822,000 tonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe) of biomass (which includes wood) was co-fired with fossil fuels (mainly coal), while 753,000 ktoe of biomass was imported for all energy use, including co-firing.
	Source:
	Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2011, tables 7.6 and 7.1, available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/source/renewables/renewables.aspx

Warm Front Scheme

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households have had their applications accepted by the Warm Front scheme since the change to eligibility criteria in April 2011.

Gregory Barker: The Warm Front scheme has received and accepted 27,374 eligible applications from 14 April to 14 September 2011.

Wind Power

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on how many days in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011 wind farm operators were given constraint payments from non-generation.

Charles Hendry: Wind farm operators received constraint payments on the following number of days:
	(a) 2010: three days, which involved overall constraint payments of £176,788 to a total of three different wind farms;
	(b) 2011: 37 days (up to and including 14 September), which involved overall constraint payments of £6,959,915 to a total of 17 different wind farms.
	National Grid takes thousands of actions every day to balance the system, including through the Balancing Mechanism where generators will make monetary 'bids and offers' to alter their output. Nearly all of these actions relate to conventional (non-renewable) generation. This is a competitive market where National Grid will always pick the most cost-effective way to deliver what is required.

Wind Power

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to reduce the level of constraint payments to wind farm operators; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: Reducing or increasing the output of generators is a normal part of National Grid's role to balance supply and demand, and it will pick the most cost effective way to deliver what is required. However, the recent requirement to use wind farms in order to manage the system has raised questions as to whether the current market wide balancing arrangements for wind are appropriate. National Grid has launched a consultation to seek views on the issues involved.
	In the short-term, the Secretary of State is proposing to introduce a licence condition to tackle problems that can occur in the balancing market when normal competition is distorted by bottlenecks on the transmission system. Ofgem and DECC have been working closely together to develop this licence condition, which the Secretary of State is able to introduce under powers conferred by the Energy Act 2010. DECC will be consulting on the licence condition shortly, with a view to introducing it in 2012.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish the responses of English local planning authorities to the questionnaires in Section 5.4 of the Parsons Brinckerhoff report for his Department entitled Update of Shadow Flicker Evidence Base.

Charles Hendry: There are no plans to publish the responses of English local planning authorities to the questionnaires for the report on the Shadow Flicker Evidence Base. The questionnaires were completed on the understanding that the information within would be treated as strictly confidential and not to be passed to third parties or published.
	The summary of responses can be found in the report. Responses were received from the following local planning authorities:
	1. South Gloucestershire Council
	2. Gloucester City Council
	3. Tendring District Council
	4. Barnsley. Metropolitan Council
	5. Lancaster City Council
	6. Rossendale Borough Council
	7. Uttlesford District Council
	8. Charnwood Borough Council
	9. Sheffield City Council
	10. Warrington Borough Council
	11. Northern Ireland Planning Service
	12. City and County of Swansea
	13. Orkney Islands Council.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Equal Pay

Alison McGovern: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what assessment the Government has made of the potential costs and benefits of introducing compulsory gender pay audits for larger companies in the last 12 months.

Lynne Featherstone: In the Modern Workplaces consultation published in May 2011, Government proposed that employers who are found at an employment tribunal to have discriminated because of sex in contractual or non-contractual pay should be made to conduct a pay audit.
	The accompanying impact assessment included an initial estimate of the average cost of an equal pay audit as £8,800 but recognised that costs would vary significantly with the size and complexity of an employer's business. Benefits include, for example, making sure there is maximum use of employee's capacity and demonstrating fairness to employees.
	In addition to the proposal in Modern Workplaces, Government are actively promoting voluntary, business-led approach to analysis and publication of equality data through the new "Think, Act, Report" initiative.

Equality: Age

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities 
	(1)  what preparations the Government Equalities Office has made for communication to the public on commencement of the anti-age discrimination regulations arising from the Equality Act 2010;
	(2)  when the Government plans to bring into force a commencement order for the anti-age discrimination regulations arising from the Equality Act 2010.

Lynne Featherstone: We are currently considering the responses to the public consultation on exceptions to the proposed ban on age discrimination in the provision of services and public functions which took place earlier this year. We will announce how we intend to proceed in the Government's published response to the consultation in due course.

Marriage

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow North East of 28 June 2011, Official Report, column 703W, on marriage, when the Government Equalities Office expects to begin its consultation on reform of marriage and civil partnership law.

Lynne Featherstone: We announced on 17 September that we will publish a formal, government consultation document in March 2012 which will consider options on equal civil marriage. This would allow us to make any legislative changes before the end of this Parliament.
	We are clear that this will only cover civil marriage—not religious marriage. Between now and the publication of the consultation, we will be meeting with a wide range of people with an interest in this issue, including the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and religious and non-religious organisations, to help shape the formal consultation document.

DEFENCE

EU Defence Headquarters

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had on the proposal to establish an EU defence headquarters.

Liam Fox: NATO remains the cornerstone of UK defence. I have always been clear that the UK opposes the creation of a permanent EU operational military headquarters. It would be a duplication of existing capability provided by NATO, would permanently disassociate the EU from NATO and would be an unnecessary use of resources.
	The Minister for International Security Strategy, my hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot (Mr Howarth), emphasised our position at the Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of Defence in Poland on 22-23 September 2011. I will continue to take every opportunity to reinforce this message with our European and NATO partners.

Departmental Civilian Jobs

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the change has been in the number of civilian jobs in his Department since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: Defence statistics show that, on a full-time equivalent basis, there were 85,850 civilian employees in the Ministry of Defence on 1 April 2010.
	As at 1 July 2011—the latest date for which information is available—this total had reduced to 81,150. These figures therefore show a reduction of 4,700 full-time equivalent employees over that 15-month period.

Reserve Forces

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to improve the capabilities of the reserve forces.

Andrew Robathan: In his oral statement on 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 643-645, the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox), confirmed a package of investment amounting to more than £2.8 billion over 10 years, of which £400 million will be within the life of this Parliament. This package has been designed to enhance the capability of the reserve forces and consequently increase their trained strength following the recommendations of the Future Reserves Independent Commission.

NATO Transformation

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made on NATO transformation.

Liam Fox: A continual process of reform and transformation is vital for the health of any organisation. NATO is no different and the UK is playing a leading role in ensuring our Alliance remains fit for purpose. In June, Defence Ministers agreed to a more streamlined and more effective Command Structure including the UK keeping the Maritime Component Command at Northwood. We are working to put the new Command structure in place as soon as possible.

British Army Training Unit Suffield

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the memorandum of understanding between his Department and the Department of National Defence of Canada concerning the British Army Training Unit Suffield is due to be re-negotiated.

Nick Harvey: The Memorandum of Understanding between the MOD and the Department of National Defence of Canada concerning the British Army Training Unit Suffield is open-ended and may be renegotiated at any time with the mutual consent of both parties.

Afghanistan

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: The 2010 ISAF troop surge has brought significant security gains to the south of Afghanistan in 2011. However, the insurgency is resilient and remains a nationwide threat as the recent attacks in Kabul have demonstrated.
	I am encouraged by the continued progress being made by the Afghan National Security Forces who increasingly demonstrate their competence, whether in response to high-profile attacks in Kabul, in joint operations with ISAF, or in areas where security transition has begun.

Military Covenant

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to strengthen the military covenant.

Andrew Robathan: On 16 May 2011, the Government published the new armed forces covenant, and announced a series of measures to strengthen the covenant, building on those already included in the coalition programme for government. We have also launched the armed forces community covenant to encourage activities which help to integrate the armed forces community into local life.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK troops will remain in Afghanistan beyond 2015 to provide military training and assistance.

Nick Harvey: As the Prime Minister announced to the House on 6 July 2011, Official Report, columns 1511-1514, by the end of 2014 there will be nothing like the number of British troops which are in Afghanistan now and they will not be serving in a combat role. However, the UK will continue to have a military relationship with Afghanistan after 2014. The UK will continue to train Afghan security forces and we will provide the lead at a new Afghan National Army Officer Academy from 2013. At this stage it is too early to comment on the exact number of troops who will be deployed in these non-combat roles from 2015 and beyond.

Alix Partners

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department reached its Agreement with Alix Partners; what estimate he has made of the savings accruing to his Department as a result of the Agreement since it came into force; what the average daily rate paid to external consultants by his Department is; how much his Department has paid to individual Alix Partners consultants in consultancy fees since May 2010; how many (a) Alix Partners and (b) other consultants have qualified for a success fee from his Department since May 2010; and on how many occasions Alix Partners consultants qualified for such a success fee since May 2010.

Peter Luff: Alix Partners were appointed on 15 November 2010 to support the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to re-negotiate contracts in order to deliver savings as a result of decisions taken in the strategic defence and security review (SDSR). The MOD did not have the highly specialised skills required to undertake this work in the timescales. The savings the Department will accrue will depend on a number of issues, the detail of which I am withholding as their disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.
	The average daily rate for each Alix Partners consultant is £3,950, and the Department has paid a total of £5.5 million under the contract so far. 12 Alix Partners consultants have qualified for the payment of an additional “success fee” under the contract on two occasions. Information about the total number of all other consultants who have qualified for a success fee from the Department since May 2010 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The contract with Alix Partners has already proven its value and, without prejudice to our commercial negotiation, I can confirm that it has helped to save the Department hundreds of millions of pounds.

Armed Forces: Craigiehall

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which personnel in which units are based at Craigiehall; and how many (a) Army and (b) civilian personnel there are in each unit.

Andrew Robathan: We do not comment on individual personnel. The units based in Craigiehall and the numbers of Army and civilian personnel in each unit are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Army Civilian 
			 Headquarters 2nd Division 89 122 
			 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC 24 2 
			 2 Military Intelligence Battalion 6 0 
			 Army Recruiting Group 0 7 
			 Headquarters 51 Brigade 60 12 
			 Defence Fire & Risk Management Organisation 0 1 
			 Army Welfare Service 0 4 
			 Headquarters Land Forces Branches 8 0 
			 Defence Infrastructure Organisation 0 8 
			 Other 2 1 
			 Total 189 157 
		
	
	This is based on the latest available numbers for Army and civilian personnel.

Armed Forces: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of service family accommodation at (a) Redford and (b) Dreghorn Barracks will be used in each of the next five years; and which personnel are expected to be housed at each site during this period.

Andrew Robathan: 87% of service family accommodation (SFA) at Redford and Dreghorn Barracks is currently being used to house service personnel and their families.
	It is too early to say at this time what the exact future usage or requirement for SFA in Edinburgh may be, although it is likely that all current housing stock across the Edinburgh area will be needed to meet an ongoing requirement to house entitled service families.

Armed Forces: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who will fulfil the (a) duties as Governor of Edinburgh Castle and in respect of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and (b) other additional and ceremonial roles previously carried out by the General Officer Commanding 2nd Division after the 2nd Division Headquarters move to Aldershot in 2012; and where the person who takes over these roles will be based.

Nick Harvey: Comprehensive planning work is now under way to draw up plans for the timing and sequencing of the changes in the Army as set out in the Defence Transformation statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox) on 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 643-45W.
	It is too early to say who will fulfil the duties as Governor of Edinburgh Castle or the other duties mentioned but our plans will ensure that these duties will be serviced by a 2-star Army officer, who will be based in Scotland.
	For clarification, HQ 2nd Division will not move to Aldershot in 2012. As announced by the Secretary of State for Defence on 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 66-70WS, 2nd Division will disband in 2012 along with HQ 4th Division at Aldershot and HQ 5th Division at Shrewsbury, upon the creation of a single 2-star support command, to be known as HQ Support Command, which will be based in Aldershot.

Armed Forces: Military Decorations

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons UK military personnel may be awarded EU service medals; and whether they are allowed to wear them.

Andrew Robathan: The involvement of the United Kingdom’s armed forces in operations around the world, may give rise to the award of a European Union service medal.
	There are four European medals which have been approved for UK armed forces personnel who meet the relevant criteria. These are:
	WEU Mission (Yugoslavia), which has been approved for wear.
	European Community Monitoring Mission (Yugoslavia), which has been approved for wear.
	European Security Forces: Congo, which has not been approved for wear.
	European Security and Defence Policy Service Medal for Operation ALTHEA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), which has been approved for wear (with the exception of the Planning and Support version).
	Each new offer of such a medal requires a proposal by the Ministry of Defence, the support of the Committee on the Grant of Honours Decorations and Medals (known as the HD Committee), and the approval of the Sovereign. In general, proposals should demonstrate that those on the operation have endured a period of risk and rigour. However, proposals that would result in ‘double medalling’, which is the simultaneous qualification for a United Kingdom medal and an international organisation’s medal, are not supported.

Armed Forces: Yorkshire and the Humber

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were recruited to the armed forces through Armed Forces Career Offices in the Yorkshire and the Humberside area in each year since 2001.

Andrew Robathan: The following tables provide the number of entrants from recruitment centres in the Yorkshire and Humberside area. These give an indication of the numbers recruited from that area but do not provide a comprehensive picture of where these individuals may reside as they may not always apply to join the Services through their nearest career office or may choose other means by which to apply.
	Royal Navy and Royal Marine officers are primarily recruited via regional officer careers liaison centres, each of which covers a large area of the UK. Prior to 2009-10 they were not recruited through armed forces career offices. The recruitment data for Army officers is based on data related to the location of the schools and universities from which officers are recruited together with the small number recruited via careers offices. Army officer entrant figures before 2007-08 were collected on a different basis than currently and are not included.
	Figures are not available for all years requested as over time various IT systems have been used which are not now compatible with current systems.
	In the following tables these abbreviations are used:
	AFCO—Armed Forces Career Office
	ACIO—Army Career Information Office.
	
		
			 Royal Navy and Royal Marine other rank entrants 
			  2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 AFCO Hull 106 80 88 90 89 72 95 66 
			 AFCO Leeds 79 95 103 88 62 100 140 94 
			 AFCO Sheffield 83 82 89 69 85 85 89 52 
		
	
	
		
			 Army Officers 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 North East 11 56 88 81 
		
	
	
		
			 Army other ranks 
			  2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 ACIO Bradford 143 172 170 131 139 154 119 143 158 116 
			 ACIO Catterick 24 32 25 18 24 39 31 46 64 32 
			 ACIO Doncaster 132 132 143 84 133 143 112 151 127 89 
			 ACIO Grimsby 112 117 110 84 78 79 82 64 93 87 
			 ACIO Halifax 64 67 71 44 50 38 59 50 63 45 
			 ACIO Huddersfield 133 140 104 81 63 95 41 84 72 76 
			 ACIO Scarborough 85 104 48 56 51 70 62 66 39 53 
			 ACIO Wakefield 129 129 107 95 85 119 141 150 129 64 
			 ACIO York 76 107 58 54 74 87 97 95 99 85 
			 AFCO Hull 307 436 255 213 256 304 294 335 315 279 
			 AFCO Leeds 656 693 631 523 547 677 572 630 624 440 
			 AFCO Sheffield 371 378 413 277 303 376 335 341 383 248 
		
	
	
		
			 RAF Officer and other ranks entrants 
			  2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 AFCO Hull 75 41 23 51 66 95 73 27 
			 AFCO Leeds 137 79 60 69 85 123 132 56 
			 AFCO Sheffield 101 64 64 84 113 131 168 50 
			 Senior Career Liaison Officer RAF Linton on Ouse 3 2 4 7 6 8 6 4

Armed Forces: Young People

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the armed forces were under the age of 18 in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Andrew Robathan: The following table provides information on the total strength of the armed forces as at 1 April each year and the proportion of that strength under the age of 18 years.
	
		
			  Total strength Proportion under  18 years (Percentage) 
			 2008 186,910 2.4 
			 2009 188,600 2.5 
			 2010 191,660 1.8 
			 2011 186,360 1.4

Challenger Tanks

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Department's Business Plan 2011-2015, how much has been saved in (a) Resource DEL, (b) Capital DEL, (c) annually managed expenditure and (d) in total from the reduction of holdings of Challenger 2 main battle tanks by 40%.

Liam Fox: holding answer 12 September 2011
	Reflecting a reduction in Challenger 2 numbers and track activity, the savings over the next four years are expected to be:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Resource DEL (near cash) 5 10 10 10 
			 Capital DEL (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 (1) Less than 5. 
		
	
	They do not include any savings in depreciation or the costs of writing the assets down, which cannot be calculated until the future of the surplus equipment has been determined.
	All figures are planning assumptions and are rounded to the nearest £5 million; the Capital DEL element of the savings is less than £5 million in total over the four-year period.

Chinook Helicopters

Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the contract cost for his Department’s order for Chinook helicopters is associated with a follow-up five-year service agreement.

Peter Luff: The details of the initial five-year service arrangements for the new Chinooks have yet to be finalised but, based on experience of similar arrangements, we expect the initial support package following entry into service to be some 10% of the approximate £1 billion total value of the procurement.

Chinook Helicopters

Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any British manufacturers were invited to tender for the order for Chinook helicopters.

Peter Luff: In the Chinook new buy decision, all available procurement options were considered, including open competition. Based on the key criteria of value for money to the UK taxpayer and confidence in delivery of the project with lowest risk to schedule and cost, it was decided in accordance with EU Competition Law, to pursue a single source procurement with Boeing.
	As well as formal arrangements in place between UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and Boeing on UK industrial participation, we have successfully encouraged Boeing to make full use of the UK supply base on the Chinook new buy contract where this has no adverse impact on the programme schedule and continues to provide value for money.
	We estimate that over the next 10 years the UK economy will benefit by some £350 million as a direct result of this contract.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets;
	(2)  what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Peter Luff: The Defence travel contract, which includes providing airline tickets for use by Ministry of Defence (MOD) personnel, was awarded to the Hogg Robinson Group in 2007. The company has negotiated rates with 28 airlines covering 432 domestic and international routes.
	No other arrangements are in place for the provision of MOD air travel and personnel are mandated to use the contract which allows discounted air fares to be provided with lower administration costs than if individuals were to book direct through commercial travel companies. Where negotiated rates have been agreed, the contract also offers other benefits including the provision of more favourable terms and conditions of travel, increased baggage allowances and flight cancellations without incurring additional costs. This has resulted in considerable savings being achieved across the MOD. In financial year 2010-11 around £60 million was saved on air travel.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial savings are expected to be made in (a) Resource DEL, (b) Capital DEL, (c) annually-managed expenditure and (d) in total from reducing the non-deployable regional administrative structure; and over what period those savings are expected to be made.

Liam Fox: As a result of the restructuring of the Army's non-deployable regional administrative structure, we expect to save some £20 million in Resource DEL each year on an enduring basis from 2013-14.

Departmental Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's definition is of (a) research and development budget and (b) science and technology budget.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) uses the internationally recognised Frascati definition of research and development as covering three elements: pure or basic research, which generates new knowledge for its own sake; applied research, in which knowledge generation is directed towards a specific practical aim; and development where such knowledge is applied to a new service, device or product.
	The term science and technology programme refers to the MOD research programme under the Department's chief scientific adviser.

Departmental Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's research and development budget was in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the budget will be in each year of the comprehensive spending review period.

Peter Luff: Ministry of Defence (MOD) research and development expenditure is published in ‘UK Defence Statistics 2011’ (Table 1.7), which is available at the following website:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/modintranet/UKDS/UKDS2011/c1/table107.php
	The most recently published figures for net MOD research and development spending across MOD, inclusive of non-recoverable VAT at current prices are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Research and development expenditure (£ million) 
			 2005-06 2,243 
			 2006-07 2,124 
			 2007-08 2,139 
			 2008-09 1,991 
			 2009-10 1,742 
		
	
	There is no fixed forward budget for research and development because development expenditure is mostly part of the equipment programme applied as needed against the development requirements of individual projects.

Departmental Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's science and technology budget was in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the budget will be in each year of the comprehensive spending review period.

Peter Luff: Expenditures from the centralised Ministry of Defence (MOD) science and technology programme under the Department's chief scientific adviser, and the total net research expenditure by the MOD, for each of the past five years (inclusive of non-recoverable VAT at current prices) are:
	
		
			 Financial year Total MOD research expenditure (£ million) Of which, Science and Technology programme expenditure (£ million) 
			 2005-06 598 475 
			 2006-07 632 498 
			 2007-08 635 519 
			 2008-09 584 480 
			 2009-10 567 446 
		
	
	The current planned budget for the centralised MOD science and technology programme under the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser, reflecting Defence planning round (PR11), for each year of the comprehensive review period (rounded to the nearest £5 million) is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year Science and technology programme planned budget (£ million1) 
			 2010-11 415 
			 2011-12 435 
			 2012-13 420 
			 2013-14 410 
			 2014-15 470 
			 (1) Nearest £5 million 
		
	
	The Department is conducting its routine annual planning round (PR 12), which will conclude in spring 2012, and may result in changes in the figures. However, as I have previously said to the House, the MOD's Science and Technology budget will rise in cash terms over the comprehensive spending review period.

Departmental Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: The running costs for. the office of the Ministry of Defence's chief scientific adviser (CSA) in each of the last five years, comprising CSA and the immediate administrative support staff is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Cost (£000) 
			 2006-07 520 
			 2007-08 426 
			 2008-09 402 
			 2009-10 439 
			 2010-11 444

Departmental Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years.

Peter Luff: Two individuals have held the post of chief scientific adviser in the Ministry of Defence in the past five years:
	Professor Sir Roy Anderson FRS FMedSci: October 2004 to September 2007
	Professor Sir Mark Welland FRS FREng: April 2008 to date.
	From October 2007 to March 2008 Professor Anderson continued to provide advice to the Department on scientific issues as required.
	Details of their salaries and benefits are published in the Department's Annual Resource Accounts which are available at following website:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/
	A copy of the document is available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

Peter Luff: The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in the immediate outer office of the chief scientific adviser (CSA) for the Ministry of Defence (MOD), comprising CSA and the immediate administrative support staff, in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of staff (FTE) 
			 2006-07 4.8 
			 2007-08 4.8 
			 2008-09 3.8 
			 2009-10 3.8 
			 2010-11 3.8 
		
	
	The MOD had a chief scientific adviser when the Department was established in 1964.

Departmental Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence is committed to handling science and engineering advice in accordance with the Government chief scientific adviser's ‘Guidelines on the use of science and engineering advice in policy making’.

EU Defence Policy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of previous experience of participating in (a) EU military structures and (b) the EU Defence Agency; and what recent assessment he has made of the Government’s ability to influence the direction of EU military policies.

Gerald Howarth: NATO remains the cornerstone of UK defence. Participation in the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations—and their access to wider economic, legal and diplomatic tools—should support or complement this primary role of NATO in meeting European defence and security requirements.
	Following our last assessment of the European Defence Agency (EDA) in autumn 2010, we decided that the UK would continue to participate in the EDA for a period of two years (until autumn 2012), at which time we want to see if UK membership in the EDA brings sufficient benefits to warrant Britain’s continued membership.
	Through our participation in the Common Security and Defence Policy, the UK has helped to influence the development of EU military policies. We secured a freeze in the EDA’s defence budget, led opposition to the establishment of an EU operational HQ and shifted the debate within the EU on developing capability, not structures, and on more robust anti-piracy measures.

EU Defence Policy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the introduction of qualified majority voting in EU defence matters.

Gerald Howarth: There are three areas where qualified majority voting can be applied to decision making: for certain decisions relating to Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO); the decision making powers of the European Defence Agency Steering Board; and establishing procedures for a start-up fund. These were agreed by the previous Government under the introduction of the Lisbon treaty, the ratification of which the Conservative party opposed.
	The UK's policy is that qualified majority voting should not be used in any other areas and we would oppose any moves to expand qualified majority voting on defence matters.

EU Defence Policy

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the criteria are for an EU member state to take part in Permanent Structured Co-operation. [R]

Gerald Howarth: The provisions on Permanent Structured Co-operation (PESCO) were introduced by the Lisbon treaty and the criteria can be found in articles 42(6) and 46 and protocol (No. 10) to the treaties. The Lisbon treaty was ratified by the previous Government.

EU Defence Policy: Offices

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with non-EU members of NATO about the proposal to the EU High Representative by France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Poland that the EU should establish an EU military operational headquarters; and what representations he has received from (a) the US, (b) Canada, (c) Turkey and (d) Norway on this proposal.

Gerald Howarth: I have always been clear that the UK opposes the creation of a permanent EU operational military headquarters and continue to be so in my discussions with NATO and European partners including at the recent informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers last month. I have not received any formal representations from non-EU members of NATO on this subject.

EU Defence Policy: Offices

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the total resources required to establish an effective EU military operational headquarters.

Gerald Howarth: While the Ministry of Defence has not conducted a formal assessment, we believe that neither has the EU. The establishment and development of a new EU institution and associated subordinate command functions would add substantial costs over existing structures. The UK opposes a permanent EU operational headquarters (OHQ) for reasons other than cost alone. We have been clear that establishment of a permanent OHQ would be a duplication of existing capability provided by NATO, would permanently disassociate the EU from NATO and would be an unnecessary use of resources.

EU Defence Policy: Offices

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the creation of a permanent EU Operational Headquarters; and if he will make a statement.

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the proposal to the EU High Representative by France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Poland that the EU should establish an EU military operational headquarters without UK support by means of the structured cooperation mechanism established by the Treaty of Lisbon; what his policy is on participation in such an EU military operational headquarters; and what representations he plans to make to his EU counterparts on this issue.

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the creation of a Permanent EU Operational Headquarters; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the creation of a permanent EU Operational Headquarters; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gerald Howarth: NATO remains the cornerstone of UK defence.
	We see no justification for a permanent EU military Operational Headquarters (OHQ) and would oppose it, whether there is an attempt to create it by Permanent Structured Co-operation (PESCO) or other means. We have been clear that the establishment of a permanent OHQ would be a duplication of existing capability provided by NATO, would permanently disassociate the EU from NATO and would be an unnecessary waste of resources.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary rejected the case for the establishment of an OHQ at the Foreign Affairs Council on 18 July 2011, a position I repeated emphatically at the informal meeting of Ministers of Defence in Wroclaw, Poland on 22-23 September 2011. The UK will continue to reinforce this message with our European partners at every opportunity.

Helicopters: Technology

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Brownout Landing Aid System Technology for installation on armed forces helicopters.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to minimising the risk to our personnel when helicopters have to land with limited visibility. This is not simply a matter of new equipment, but also of ensuring that we have the right training, tactics, techniques and procedures in place.
	Through our research programme run by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), we maintain close links with industry to monitor technologies in this area, including the Brownout Landing Aid System Technology (BLAST) programme. We are closely monitoring the development of BLAST, as well as other industrial solutions and assessing them all against our requirement. No decisions have been made on the most effective technical approach to mitigating the risks to helicopters from limited visibility landing.

HMS Protector

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work was planned to be carried out on HMS Protector before it was taken over by the Royal Navy; and what work was subsequently carried out that had not been anticipated.

Peter Luff: Work planned to be carried out by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) on HMS Protector started after the signing of the lease and is to be completed before her first deployment later this year. This work included the fitting of: hydrographic systems; secure military communications including satellite television; force protection; petrol stowage; mounts for two rigid hull inflatable boats; and an enhanced navigation system.
	The small amount of additional work completed by the MOD covers the fitting of a small craft davit and a high definition radar, and the re-designing of military communications equipment to adapt it for use by HMS Protector.
	HMS Protector is on schedule to deploy for the first time around the end of the year.

Military Bases: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any valuations have been carried out of United Kingdom Land Command sites at (a) Redford Barracks, (b) Dreghorn Barracks and (c) Craigiehall in the last 10 years.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence values its estate on a rolling five year programme for asset purposes. The latest asset valuations can be found in the National Asset Register, published by the Stationary Office on the following website:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm70/7022/7022.pdf
	A copy is available in the Library of the House.
	The Department does not routinely assess the current market value of all its estate because the estimated receipts will depend on market conditions and other factors at the time of sale. However, the indicative market values of these sites was reviewed in March 2011 as part of the ongoing basing review.

Military Bases: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2011, Official Report, column 89W, on military bases: Edinburgh, what annual costs are associated with the private finance initiative agreement with Bannockburn Homes Ltd used to fund some service family accommodation for Redford and Dreghorn barracks; and whether these costs change for any period in which the accommodation is unused.

Andrew Robathan: In order to accommodate entitled service personnel based across Edinburgh, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) leases 103 service family accommodation (SFA) properties under a private finance initiative with Bannockburn Homes Ltd at an annual cost in 2010-11 of £2.2 million for rent and services.
	This cost does not vary if properties are unoccupied. The MOD maintains a small management margin of void SFA properties in order to ensure that homes are available for families when required.

Military Bases: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what listed buildings in each category there are at (a) Craigiehall, (b) Redford Barracks and (c) Dreghorn Barracks.

Andrew Robathan: The requested information is as shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Building description Listing category 
			 Craigiehall House elevations and interior A 
			 Walled Garden including Gatepiers A 
			 Craigiehall Sundials A 
			 Craigiehall Dovecot B 
			 Stable Court, Including Walls and Gatepiers C 
			 Redford Cavalry Barracks with Officer's Mess B 
			 Balaclava House B 
			 Guard House B 
			 Gates B 
			 Gatepiers B 
			 Sergeant's Mess B 
			 Former Band Block B 
			 Education Block B 
			 Former Stables B 
			 Stores and other ancillary buildings B 
			 Dreghorn Barracks Guard House C 
			 Barrack Block C 
			 Band Block C 
			 Battalion Headquarters C

Military Bases: Edinburgh

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of maps of the Defence Estate lands in Edinburgh which his Department proposes to sell.

Andrew Robathan: Copies of plans showing the extent of the Ministry of Defence landholdings at Craigiehall, Redford and Dreghorn Barracks will be placed in the Library of the House.
	The precise boundary of the land to be disposed of will be determined nearer to the time of any sale.

Military Bases: Kirknewton

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2011, Official Report, columns 1151-52W, on military bases, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the location for the tank training ground for the proposed new Multi-Role Brigade at Kirknewton; and whether a site has been identified.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently investigating options put forward by the Scottish Government for the location of the proposed new training area. The MOD will continue to consult with the Scottish Government as we work through these options, however it is too early to confirm any further details of our exact requirements.

Military Bases: Kirknewton

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the amount of additional traffic movement that will be generated by the proposed new base at Kirknewton, taking into account deliveries, commuting of personnel remaining in service family accommodation at Redford and Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh, movements of personnel living at the base, and all other traffic.

Andrew Robathan: Comprehensive planning work is now under way to draw up detailed plans for the future of Kirknewton, which will include an assessment of the likely effect on local transport. This will involve the appropriate and necessary engagement with partners such as the Scottish Government, West Lothian council and the relevant other Government Departments and agencies. We have a shared interest in managing local issues, such as transport, as effectively as we can for the benefit of both the local community and for our own personnel.

Military Bases: Kirknewton

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answers of 6 September 2011, Official Report, columns 844-45W, on RAF Kirknewton, when in 2012 the further ecological survey into water quality at Kirknewton, West Lothian, will take place; when his Department's Land Quality Assessment programme for 2011-12 will take place; and if he will place in the Library copies of each report when they are completed.

Andrew Robathan: The Defence Infrastructure Organisation plans to carry out a further ecological survey at Kirknewton in February 2012, in order to enable a direct comparison with the findings of the initial survey. The exact timings will, however, be dependent upon factors such as the weather.
	The current phase of the Ministry of Defence estate-wide Land Quality Assessment (LQA) programme, runs from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012. In the case of RAF Kirknewton the phase two LQA is scheduled to start in November 2011 and will involve an intrusive investigation. The exact timings of the LQA will also be dependent upon factors such as the weather.
	Copies of both reports will be placed in the Library of the House once they are completed.

Radar: Wind Power

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made in the search for potential mitigation solutions to prevent radar clutter and aircraft obscuration caused by turbines; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has reached agreement with wind energy developers to provide Lockheed Martin TPS77 air defence radars as mitigation against specific wind farm radar interference concerns.
	The MOD is continuing to work with the wind energy industry and the Department of Energy and Climate Change to assess potential other mitigation solutions for air defence, air traffic control and precision approach radars.

Radar: Wind Power

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether NATO has issued guidance on acceptable levels of interference by wind farms with Air Defence Radar.

Peter Luff: NATO has not issued guidance on acceptable levels of interference by wind farms with Air Defence Radar. Acceptable levels are assessed on a site by site basis, and will be influenced by the technical characteristics of the affected radar system and the strategic importance of the airspace near the wind farm.

Transport

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the (a) Radar Additional Study and (b) Data Transport study have completed; and when he plans to place copies in the Library.

Peter Luff: Both studies have completed and redacted copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Unmanned Air Vehicles: Ammunition

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what munitions can be carried by the Watchkeeper 450 unmanned air system.

Peter Luff: None. The current design of the Watchkeeper unmanned air system precludes the carrying of munitions.

SCOTLAND

Scotland Bill 2010-12

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times the joint Exchequer Group to consider the implementation of the Scotland Bill has met since its formation; and when it will next meet.

Michael Moore: The Joint Exchequer Committee met for the first time on 27 September 2011, and it is intended that it will meet at least biannually.

Taxation: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times the High Level Implementation Group that advises on the practical implications of implementing the Calman Commission's taxation proposals has met since its formation; and when it will next meet.

Michael Moore: The High Level Implementation Group met on 26 July and 4 November 2010, and 28 February 2011. It will meet again in late October.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Aviation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office has a contract with a travel management company which is expected to ensure best value for money when purchasing airline tickets, balancing cost effectiveness against the individual requirements of each request. We monitor expenditure on tickets on a continuous basis at the initial order stage and routinely check subsequent invoices for accuracy. We hold twice yearly meetings with the travel company in order to review the effectiveness of existing route deals and ticket spend.
	In addition staff are encouraged to book flights well in advance of travel whenever possible, to take advantage of lower fares; to avoid changing flights unless there is a pressing business need to do so and are required to travel economy at all times unless there is a clear business need to do otherwise.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office does not have an in-house legal team. It receives legal support from a range of Government bodies, including the Crown Solicitor's Office for Northern Ireland, the Treasury Solicitor's Office, the Home Office Legal Advisor's Branch, and the Departmental Solicitor's Office. The Northern Ireland Office does not commission external legal advice itself, but in acting on behalf of the Department, these bodies will from time to time engage counsel.

Departmental Security

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) Ministers in the (i) Scottish and (ii) Welsh Government on security issues since May 2010.

Owen Paterson: Since May 2010, I have had a number of discussions with Cabinet colleagues on Northern Ireland related security issues. This has included discussions in Cabinet and in the National Security Council. I have had no formal meetings to discuss security issues with Ministers in the Scottish and Welsh Assembly Governments during that time.

Inquiries

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on inquiries into events in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.

Owen Paterson: The total costs of the four Northern Ireland public inquiries, in each year since 2001 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Bloody Sunday Inquiry  (1)   (end  May 2010) Robert Hamill Inquiry (end February 2011) Rosemary Nelson Inquiry (end May 2011) Billy Wright Inquiry (end August 2010) 
			 2000-01 19,345,573 — — — 
			 2001-02 19,179,164 — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 2002-03 25,771,371 — — — 
			 2003-04 27,322,499 — — — 
			 2004-05 14,373,390 409,738 551,586 58,848 
			 2005-06 7,161,967 3,408,142 3,525,774 2,261,855 
			 2006-07 9,518,864 6,186,984 10,335,687 4,437,849 
			 2007-08 5,053,994 4,329,846 10,272,333 8,604,601 
			 2008-09 4,867,038 9,157,856 14,651,183 8,955,958 
			 2009-10 3,199,837 7,778,895 5,081,501 4,817,835 
			 2010-11 503,258 1,596,736 1,924,195 692,373 
			 2011-12 — — 114,725 — 
			 Total 136,296,955 32,868,197 46,456,984 29,829,319 
			 (1) The Bloody Sunday Inquiry was established in 1998 and was funded by the Northern Ireland Office. Costs in relation to the inquiry were also incurred by the Ministry of Defence. The total cost of the inquiry to the NIO since its establishment in 1998 was £155.6 million. In addition, the MOD incurred a total of £35.6 million. The total cost of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry was therefore £191.2 million.

Lawyers

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on payments to lawyers in relation to inquiries held on events in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.

Owen Paterson: The legal costs of the four Northern Ireland public inquiries, in each year since 2001 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Bloody Sunday Inquiry  (1)   (end May 2010) Robert Hamill Inquiry (end February 2011) Rosemary Nelson Inquiry (end May 2011) Billy Wright Inquiry (end August 2010) 
			 2000-01 7,371,628 — — — 
			 2001-02 8,456,941 — — — 
			 2002-03 7,475,621 — — — 
			 2003-04 11,323,226 — — — 
			 2004-05 7,722,725 69,736 213,577 — 
			 2005-06 3,108,239 1,533,793 650,968 947,849 
			 2006-07 6,013,519 1,448,322 3,595,705 1,348,436 
			 2007-08 1,714,001 1,745,229 4,795,714 2,171,188 
			 2008-09 1,177,297 5,213,683 5,895,561 3,353,645 
			 2009-10 894,000 3,805,212 1,563,159 2,016,954 
			 2010-11 121,435 101,135 162,524 2,587 
			 2011-12 — — 407 — 
			 Total 55,378,632 13,917,110 16,877,615 9,840,659 
			 (1) The Bloody Sunday Inquiry was established in 1998 and was funded by the Northern Ireland Office. Costs in relation to the inquiry were also incurred by the Ministry of Defence. The legal costs incurred by the inquiry since its establishment in 1998 were £67.6 million. In addition, the Ministry of Defence incurred £32.6 million in legal costs. The total legal cost of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry was therefore £100.2 million.

Terrorism

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his most recent assessment is of the level of threat from dissident Republicans in Northern Ireland; and what his equivalent assessment was 12 months ago.

Owen Paterson: The threat level in Northern Ireland remains at SEVERE, the same level as in October 2010. Despite the overwhelming community rejection of violence, terrorist groups continue to pose an indiscriminate threat to the lives of police officers and the general public.

WALES

Big Society

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales with reference to the Wales Office Annual Report 2010-11, when she expects the big society seminar to take place.

David Jones: The Wales Office big society seminar took place on 12 September, with guest speakers including the Minister for Civil Society, my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd), and Nick O'Donohoe, CEO of Big Society Capital, taking part.
	It was a well attended event with over 50 delegates from across the full spectrum of Welsh civil society including the private, public, voluntary and charitable sectors.

Broadcasting Programmes: Welsh Language

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the Commission on Devolution for Wales will consider (a) Welsh language broadcasting and (b) the scrutiny of and support required by police commissioners in Wales.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), made a written ministerial statement on 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 115WS, informing the House of our plans so far on establishing a Commission on Devolution in Wales. Further announcements on the process will be made after recess.

Business Advisory Group

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who the members are of the Wales Office Business Advisory Group.

Cheryl Gillan: The participants at each meeting of the Wales Office Business Advisory Group are invited on an individual basis. The attendees of the most recent session in June were:
	Paul Gorin (Smart Solutions Recruitment)
	Phil Orford (Forum for Private Business)
	Iestyn Davies (Federation of Small Businesses)
	Steve Thomas (Airbus)
	Uday Chaturvedi (TATA Steel UK)
	Wayne Powell (IBERS, Aberystwyth University)
	David Williams (Chairman of Llandudno Hospitality Association)
	Colin Orr Burns (Dragon LNG)
	Professor George Boyne (Cardiff University)
	Graham Hillier (Toyota).

Constituency Size

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether she has had any discussions with the Ministers in the Welsh Government on the time taken to announce the outcome of the constituency boundaries review in Wales.

David Jones: The Boundary Commission for Wales is expected to publish proposals for new parliamentary constituencies in Wales in January 2012. Neither the Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), nor I have discussed this with Welsh Government Ministers.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate she has made of the carbon dioxide emissions from her Department in (a) June 2010 and (b) June 2011.

David Jones: The information requested is given in the following table. The Wales Office has a programme of work in place to reduce its carbon emissions and environmental impact through, for example, greater use of video conferencing and recycling.
	
		
			  Tonnes 
			 (a) June 2010 4.67 
			 (b) June 2011 4.22

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by her Department in 2010-11; what guidance her Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if she will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by her Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

David Jones: Nil.

Departmental Procurement

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the annual value is of her Department's current contracts in each sector in which contracts are held.

David Jones: My Department holds two contracts currently, one is for the hosting of our websites and has an annual value of £6,936, the other is for the cleaning of our Cardiff office and has an annual value of £7,715.76.

Devolution: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when she plans to announce the (a) chair and (b) membership of the Commission on Devolution for Wales; and what criteria she plans to use to determine the membership.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), made a written ministerial statement on 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 115WS, informing the House of our plans so far on establishing a Commission on Devolution in Wales. Further announcements on the process will be made after recess.

Energy Supply

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the Commission on Devolution for Wales will consider the case for the devolution of decision-making on consents for energy projects with a generating capacity of 50 to 100 megawatts.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), made a written ministerial statement on 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 115WS, informing the House of our plans so far on establishing a Commission on Devolution in Wales. Further announcements on the process will be made after recess.

Enterprise Zones

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the oral answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 939, what recent discussions she has had with the First Minister of Wales on delivering benefits from enterprise zones in Wales.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), has had continued discussions with the First Minister on this issue and recently wrote seeking confirmation on when a decision on the establishment of Enterprise Zones in Wales will be announced.
	We were therefore pleased to see the announcement on 20 September by the Welsh Government setting out plans for five sector-based Enterprise Zones across Wales. I look forward to hearing more details about how these will work in the coming weeks.
	It is important that the new zones in Wales are used to ensure that Welsh businesses have the same competitive advantages as those across the border in England.

Enterprise Zones

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues and the Welsh Assembly Government on the potential development of enterprise zones in Wales.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), has regular discussions with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Treasury on various issues including Enterprise Zones.
	She has also had continued discussions with the First Minister on this issue and recently wrote seeking confirmation on when a decision on the development of Enterprise Zones in Wales will be announced.
	We were therefore pleased to see the announcement on 20 September by the Welsh Government setting out plans for five sector-based Enterprise Zones across Wales. I look forward to hearing more details about how these will work in the coming weeks.
	It is important that the new zones in Wales are used to ensure that Welsh businesses have the same competitive advantages as those across the border in England.

PRIME MINISTER

Anti-Slavery Day

Andrew Selous: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to mark Anti-Slavery Day.

David Cameron: The Government are fully committed to combating human trafficking by tackling organised crime groups and protecting the victims of this modern day slavery. To mark Anti-Slavery Day I will be hosting a reception at 10 Downing street for individuals and organisations who are involved in work to combat human slavery and trafficking.

EU Budget: Contributions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Prime Minister for what reason the EU Commission has requested additional monies for EU membership from the UK; and whether the Government is obliged to comply with the request.

Justine Greening: I have been asked to reply.
	The European Commission has made no such request for additional contributions to the EU Budget from the UK.
	The UK’s contributions to the EU Budget take place under obligations imposed by the treaties. The European Communities Act 1972, and section 2 in particular, gives effect within the UK to Community law.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations her Department has made to (a) East Riding of Yorkshire council and (b) the Planning Inspectorate on the planning application of B&K Universal to construct an expanded new beagle breeding facility; and if she will assess the compliance with the provisions of European Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, of the provision in the application for access to outside space by the dogs in the facility.

Lynne Featherstone: I have made no representations to East Riding of Yorkshire Council or the Planning Inspectorate on the planning application of B&K Universal to construct an expanded new beagle breeding facility and have no plans to do so.
	Under section 7 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, places where animals specified in schedule 2 to the Act are bred for use in regulated procedures, or are kept for supply for use in such procedures or to other designated sources, must be designated as breeding and/or supplying establishments. Applications for designation are considered on a case by case basis according to their merits. It is not Home Office policy to comment on individual applications.
	Mandatory standards of housing and care of animals set out in Annex III to European Directive 2010/63/EU must be implemented from 1 January 2017.

Asylum

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to allow asylum seekers who have been (a) waiting for more than six months for their cases to be concluded and (b) refused asylum but temporarily cannot be returned home to be given permission to work until their cases are resolved; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: Currently, asylum seekers can apply for permission to work if they have not received an initial decision on their claim within 12 months. This is in line with the requirements of the European Union (EU) directive on the reception of asylum seekers. The Government have no plans to reduce this time period to six months, nor to extend access to the labour market to all asylum seekers who have been refused asylum, but who face a temporary barrier to their return. Extending the permission to work policy in this way risks abuse of the asylum system by economic migrants and detracts from the aim of encouraging those whose claim has failed to return home voluntarily. Our focus, through the Asylum Improvement Project, is on implementing new ways to speed up the processing of applications, while also improving the quality of decision making. Overall, performance has improved in the last year. In particular, we are making decisions more quickly—consistently deciding over 50% of asylum cases within 30 days—without sacrificing quality.

Asylum

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many legacy asylum cases remain to be dealt with by the UK Border Agency (UKBA); how many of these relate to people living in Leeds Central constituency; and when the UKBA expects all legacy cases to be cleared.

Damian Green: As reported to the Home Affairs Select Committee, the UK Border Agency completed its review of all cases in the legacy cohort at the end of March 2011. A total of 500,500 cases were reviewed as part of the programme and the majority (455,000) had been fully concluded. The agency has also issued 3,000 grants which are subject to information from the applicant in order to complete a final security check.
	The agency is now actively managing around 18,000 cases which have been caseworked to the furthest possible point but barriers to their removal remain, such as ongoing litigation, impending prosecution, incomplete legal or criminal proceedings, non-compliance or because they are from difficult to remove countries. These cases are being actively caseworked and will be concluded when those barriers have been lifted.

Asylum

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of training a new asylum casework team to deal with legacy cases which were not concluded by the previous legacy team.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency has advised that the staff allocated to the Case Assurance and Audit Unit, previously worked in the Case Resolution Directorate. The staff are fully versed in all aspects of asylum casework. Training costs will therefore be nil.

Asylum: Translation Services

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on translation services for asylum seekers in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: It is not possible to answer the question in the form in which it has been put because the UK Border Agency does not record expenditure by parliamentary constituency. Disaggregating the data in order to provide the information would incur disproportionate cost.

British Nationals Abroad: Homicide

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make provision to enable police forces to provide assistance and support to families of British nationals murdered overseas.

Nick Herbert: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offer support to families and friends of British nationals who die overseas and will assign a caseworker with knowledge of the country concerned. Where a death has occurred in suspicious circumstances, which may lead to legal proceedings overseas, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will keep the family informed of developments and offers guidance. Since November 2010 the FCO has been working in partnership with the charity Victim Support (which runs the national homicide service) to ensure that families living in England and Wales get the practical support that they need to deal with the added trauma, complications and costs when a British national is murdered abroad.
	When a crime, for example a homicide, is committed in another country, the investigation would be the responsibility of the police and judicial authorities in the country where the offence occurred, who will investigate according to their own laws, standards and practises. In most cases, British police have no jurisdiction outside the UK.
	It is possible that a local UK police force will appoint a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) to liaise with the family. However a FLO will not be deployed in all cases where a British national has died abroad and will only generally be deployed if there is an investigative role for them to perform, for example if the foreign police service is specifically asking for inquiries to be made in the UK. Guidance on the role and criteria for deployment of a FLO is issued to police forces by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) within appendix 3 of the Family Liaison Officer Guidance 2008.

CCTV

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken to ensure that CCTV systems installed by bus operators use a technical format compatible with use by the police for the purposes of legal proceedings.

James Brokenshire: There is no single industry standard for digital CCTV format, and this can complicate the recovery by the police of images from other operators’ CCTV systems. To improve the effectiveness of all CCTV systems, and to ensure these systems command the confidence of the communities they serve, we have introduced provisions in the Protections of Freedoms Bill for a surveillance camera system code of practice.

Civil Disorder

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate the (a) cost to each police authority and (b) total cost of the August 2011 public disorder.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 9 September 2011
	There is no estimate yet for the total cost. It is too early to know the final cost of the policing operations and claims made under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 following the recent public disorder.

Civil Disorder

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been charged in connection with the public disorder of August 2011.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 13 September 2011
	The Ministry of Justice is currently publishing frequent updates on people charged who were dealt with by the court system in relation to the disturbances on 6-9 August. These reports can be found on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data
	As the publications note the Ministry of Justice chief statistician will review the quality of data and release further breakdowns as reliable data become available. A more detailed release was published on 15 September, which contained detailed information on age, gender, offence committed, sentence given and previous criminal history.

Civil Disorder: Greater London

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many residents of the London borough of Southwark have been charged with offences related to the disturbances in August 2011;
	(2)  what the age was of the oldest resident of the London borough of Southwark charged with an offence related to the disturbances in August 2011;
	(3)  what the age was of the youngest resident of the London borough of Southwark charged with an offence related to the disturbances in August 2011;
	(4)  what the average age was of residents of the London borough of Southwark charged with an offence related to the disturbances in August 2011;
	(5)  what offences related to the disturbances in August 2011 residents of the London borough of Southwark have been charged with;
	(6)  what proportion of London borough of Southwark residents charged with an offence related to the disturbances in August 2011 are under 25 years old.

James Brokenshire: The Ministry of Justice published statistics on 15 September on people being dealt with by the court system in relation to the August disturbances. A bulletin, titled “Statistical bulletin on the public disorder of 6th to 9th August 2011” can be found at the following link. The data is provided for London as a whole in table 11, but is not broken down by London borough.
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/criminal-justice/public-disorder-august-11.htm
	Charging data are not collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice or the Home Office.

Civil Disorder: Petrol

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports she has received of police officers instructing petrol filling stations not to sell fuel in cans during the public disorder in August 2011; in which police force areas such instructions were issued; and whether she will issue guidance to chief police constables on the sale of fuel in cans during any future public disorder.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has received no such reports. Police instructions on the sale of fuel during public disorder are an operational matter for chief police officers.

Counter-terrorism

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to Section 11.34 of the Prevent Strategy, Cm 8092, what progress her Department has made on working with other Government Departments to establish whether Prevent work can be integrated into their core activities.

James Brokenshire: Good progress has been made in working with other Government Departments to mainstream Prevent into their core business.
	Each Government Department with a Prevent interest is developing a programme plan to take forward its work on this issue and reports to the Home Office's Office for Security and Counter Terrorism, in accordance with the governance arrangements of CONTEST, the Government's counter-terrorism strategy.

Counter-terrorism: Finance

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to publish audit documents and records relating to the assessment of applications for Prevent funding.

James Brokenshire: We shall publish annual reports on the progress of Contest, the Government's counter-terrorism strategy. These will include information on the delivery of the Prevent strand of Contest. The content and format of the reports has yet to be decided.

Crime

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) knife crime, (b) gun crime and (c) street robbery incidents were recorded in (i) Coventry and (ii) Warwickshire in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: Data on knife and sharp instrument offences have been collected by the Home Office via a special additional data collection since April 2007. Data are therefore available only for the last four years.
	Data are not comparable across this time period. In 2007-08, the offences covered by the special knife crime collection were: attempted murder, GBH and robbery. These data are presented in table A. In 2008-09, the collection was expanded to include threats to kill, ABH, rape and sexual assaults, therefore data for 2007-08 are not comparable with those for later years. Data from 2008-09 onwards is presented in table B.
	Furthermore, data for West Midlands police, are not comparable for 2010-11 against earlier years due to changes in their recording of these offences.
	Prior to 2010-11, for technical reasons, the West Midlands data return included offences using unbroken bottles and glass, which are outside the scope of the collection. From 2010-11, West Midlands have excluded these offences and data are therefore not comparable with earlier years.
	Figures for homicides involving the use of a knife or sharp instrument are presented separately as they are taken from the Homicide Index. These are also available only at police force level. The 2005-06 to 2009-10 homicide data for West Midlands and Warwickshire are shown in Table C. The 2010-11 data will be published in January 2012.
	Data on firearm offences are also only available at police force level. The 2005-06 to 2009-10 firearms data for West Midlands and Warwickshire are shown in Table D. The 2010-11 data for police recorded firearm offences will be published in January 2012.
	Data on robbery offences are available at local authority level as well as police force level. It is not possible to identify the location of the offence from data held centrally, so data provided are for all robbery offences, not only those committed in the street. Data covering the period from 2006-07 to 2010-11 for Coventry local authority area are presented in table E and West Midlands police force area are shown in table F.
	
		
			 Table A: Total number of offences recorded involving a knife or a sharp instrument in West Midlands and Warwickshire police force areas, 2007-08  (1) 
			 Number of offences 
			 Financial year West Midlands  (2) Warwickshire 
			 2007-08 2,648 160 
		
	
	
		
			 Table B: Total number of offences recorded involving a knife or a sharp instrument in West Midlands and Warwickshire police force areas, 2008-09 to 2010-11  (1) 
			 Number of offences 
			 Financial year West Midlands  (2) Warwickshire 
			 2008-09 3,682 223 
			 2009-10 3,216 157 
			 2010-11 2,998 162 
			 (1) Police recorded knife, and sharp instrument offences data are submitted via an additional special collection. Other offences exist that are not shown in this table that may include the use of a knife or sharp instrument. (2) West Midlands included unbroken bottle and glass offences in their returns until April 2010 but now exclude these offences in line with other forces. As such, their 2010-11 data are not comparable with their data for earlier years. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table C: Total number of homicides involving a knife or a sharp instrument in West Midlands and Warwickshire police force areas, 2005-05 to 2009-10  (1) 
			 Number of offences 
			 Financial   y  ear West Midlands Warwickshire 
			 2005-06 22 1 
			 2006-07 15 5 
			 2007-08 15 2 
			 2008-09 24 1 
			 2009-10 9 1 
			 (1) As at 28 September 2010; figures are subject lo revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table D: Total firearm offences (excluding air weapons) recorded in West Midlands and Warwickshire police force areas, 2005-06 to 2009-10 
			 Number of offences 
			 Financial year West Midlands Warwickshire 
			 2005-06 946 80 
			 2006-07 979 90 
			 2007-08 974 107 
			 2008-09 985 56 
			 2009-10 903 57 
		
	
	
		
			 Table E: Total police recorded robbery offences recorded in Coventry local authority, 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			 Number of offences 
			 Financial year Coventry 
			 2006-07 843 
			 2007-08 646 
			 2008-09 699 
			 2009-10 616 
			 2010-11 816 
		
	
	
		
			 Table F: Total police recorded robbery offences recorded in Warwickshire police force area, 2006  -  07 to 2010  -  11 
			 Number of offences 
			 Financial year Warwickshire 
			 2006-07 488 
			 2007-08 375 
			 2008-09 334 
			 2009-10 280 
			 2010-11 298

Criminal Records

Anna Soubry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent progress the Independent Advisory Panel for the Disclosure of Criminal Records has made in its work.

Lynne Featherstone: The Independent Advisory Panel for the Disclosure of Criminal Records (IAPDCR) was formed on 13 September 2010 following recommendations made by Mrs Sunita Mason, the Government's Independent Advisor for Criminality Information Management, in her report "A Balanced Approach" published in March 2010.
	The panel is chaired by Mrs Mason and is attended by experts from a range of backgrounds including the third sector, legal professionals, the Information Commissioners' Office and police.
	Since September 2010 the IAPDCR has met regularly to discuss:
	whether filtering arrangements should be applied as part of the process to disclose information relating to convictions, cautions etc (“central records”) under the provisions of the Police Act 1997;
	how such arrangements might be structured to improve the proportionality between civil liberties and the impact on public protection; and
	how such arrangements might operate alongside other existing legislation, especially the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
	Mrs Mason is currently in the process of consolidating the opinions of panel members with a view to providing advice to Ministers by the end of October 2011.

Dangerous Dogs

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish each police authority’s enforcement costs in respect of the kennelling of dogs held under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Nick Herbert: While the Government provide core police funding, spending decisions are made locally by the chief constables and police authorities. Data on each police authority’s expenditure, including enforcement costs of the kennelling of dogs held under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, is therefore not collected centrally.

Dangerous Dogs

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dog legislation officers were employed by each police authority in each of the last five years; and how many such officers each authority expects to employ in each year of the comprehensive spending review period.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which travel management companies her Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Damian Green: The Home Department, including its executive agencies, uses Carlson Wagonlit for the purchase of airline tickets.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes her Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Damian Green: The Home Department's travel management company, Carlson Wagonlit (CWT), is contractually obligated to constantly source and where possible negotiate improved deals, fares and rates on behalf of the Department. The Department and CWT work collaboratively, as part of a cross Government programme, to identify routes frequently flown by officials. This assists CWT to negotiate further discounts on these routes. The Department's policy on air travel is underpinned by an objective of achieving best value. The policy is rigorously enforced through effective use of management information which identifies both frequency of travel and type of airline ticket purchased.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the resource budget allocation was for the office of her Department’s chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office chief scientific adviser is supported by the science secretariat, which, in addition to supporting the chief scientific adviser, also supports the Department’s independent science advisory committees; it is not possible to separate these costs. The total resource costs for each of the last five years are shown in the following table. The figures fluctuate as the Home Office science has restructured to bring the advisory committees under the management of the chief scientific adviser.
	
		
			 Total admin resource budget  (1) 
			  £000 
			 2007-08 1,023 
			 2008-09 776 
			 2009-10 936 
			 2010-11 840 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 870 
			 (1) Costs include all pay costs including those of the chief scientific adviser and the science secretariat and the cost of running the science advisory committees.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the salary, including benefits, was of her Department’s chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years.

James Brokenshire: Paul Wiles was appointed the Home Office chief scientific adviser in September 2004 and was succeeded in the post by Professor Bernard Silverman in April 2010.
	The available information on salary costs and benefits of the Home Office chief scientific adviser were released for 2010 as part of the plans to increase transparency across Government. The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Name Annual pay rate including taxable benefits and allowances 
			 Paul Wiles (March 2010) £155,000 to £159,999 
			 Bernard Silverman (from April 2010) £120,000 to £124,999 
		
	
	Salary figures for senior civil servants are not released prior to 2010.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of her Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office chief scientific adviser is supported by the Science Secretariat, which, in addition to supporting the chief scientific adviser, also supports the Department's independent science advisory committees. The full-time equivalent (FTE) staff numbers for each of the last five years are in the table.
	The figures fluctuate as the Home Office Science has restructured to bring the advisory committees under the management of the chief scientific adviser. Currently approximately 3.5 FTEs in the Science Secretariat directly support the chief scientific adviser; the remainder support the advisory committees. The office to support the Home Office chief scientific adviser was created in September 2004.
	
		
			  Number of staff (FTEs) 
			 2007-08 13 
			 2008-09 13 
			 2009-10 13 
			 2010-11 10.4 
			 2011-12 12.4 
			 Note:  Includes secretarial support.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on requiring her Department’s (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

James Brokenshire: My Department is committed to handling science and engineering advice in accordance with the Government chief scientific adviser’s “Guidelines on the use of science and engineering advice in policy making”. The Scientific Advisory Committees that advise the Department operate in line with the “Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees” and the “Principles for Scientific Advice to Government”.
	The Home Office Standard Research Contract has a condition that refers to research ethics and this states that
	“The Service Provider shall conduct the Project in accordance with the standards and codes of practice accepted by the social research profession.”
	There are further generic terms and conditions that state that the contractor will deliver to time, specification and with reasonable care and due diligence.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by her Department in 2010-11; what guidance her Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if she will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by her Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Damian Green: The Home Department procures legal advice as a service rather than at an hourly rate, as such we do not capture hours completed by (a) solicitors or (b) barristers engaged in 2010-11.
	The Department uses a number of different guidance documents in commissioning external legal advice. These include the Attorney-General's Guidelines on the Use of the Private Sector for Government Legal Work; the Government Legal Service Best Practice; and the Government Legal Services Procurement Protocol 2009.
	The Home Department publishes payments of over £25,000 to suppliers, as part of Government's Transparency policy. The following table provides (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister firms engaged by the Department in 2010-11 where the payments have been over £25,000 and (ii) the sums paid in each case. The table includes payments of over £25,000 to self-employed solicitors and barristers engaged by the Department in 2010-11. The table does not include payments of under £25,000 to solicitors and barristers made by the Department in 2010-11 as this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £ 
			 Pinsent Masons 5,039,865 
			 Cripps Harries Hall 3,061,896 
			 Kingsley Napley 863,705 
		
	
	
		
			 Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP 751,551 
			 Winkworth Sherwood 378,533 
			 Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP 253,039 
			 Eversheds Cambridgeshire 211,375 
			 Fairfax Solicitors 174,453 
			 Merrill Legal Solutions 109,997 
			 EC Harris LLP 99,617 
			 Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP 97,770 
			 Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons 71,891 
			 Essex Court Chambers 65,008 
			 Law Absolute 59,570 
			 Woodward Lewis Ltd 47,000 
			 G2 Legal 46,831 
			 Morton Fraser 45,588 
			 Savills (L&P) Ltd 44,652 
			 Michael Douglas 43,830 
			 Benedict Mackenzie LLP 43,346 
			 Morrison and Foerster (UK) LLP 42,469 
			 Lexisnexis Butterworths 40,933 
			 Dame Nuala O'Loan 37,241 
			 Addleshaw Goddard 36,654 
			 Walker Morris 36,229 
			 James Eadie 35,392 
			 Argent Chambers 34,891 
			 Lord Carlile of Berriew QC 31,324 
			 Jane Sarah Gordon 30,693

Departmental Sick Leave

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in her Department are on long-term sick leave.

Damian Green: As at 31 August 2011, 635 employees were recorded as being on long-term sick leave, which is 2% of the civil servants working in the Department on that date. We have used the Cabinet Office definition of long-term sickness absence, which is a sickness absence that continues for more than 21 working days or 29 calendar days.

Deportation

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to establish an independent body to monitor all enforced removals from the UK.

Damian Green: There are no plans to establish an independent body to monitor all enforced removals from the UK.
	All detention and escorting services provided by private sector companies are subject to internal and external oversight. Staff are vetted carefully by the Home Office as part of their accreditation to work as detention custody officers or escorts, undergoing thorough security checks and extensive training before they are certified.
	Escorting services are subject to scrutiny by not only a team of UK Border Agency contract monitors, but also a programme of unannounced inspections by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons and specifically, at Heathrow airport, an independent monitoring board. Both of these bodies publish their reports on their websites.

Deportation: Cameroon

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been removed to Cameroon in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: 142 people, including dependants, were removed or departed voluntarily from the UK to Cameroon in 2008; 141 in 2009; and 109 in 2010. The figure for 2010 is provisional and subject to change.
	The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK on a quarterly and annual basis. The information provided has been published in the Immigration Statistics: April-June 2011 release, which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office’s Science, Research and Statistics web pages at:
	http://homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/

Deportation: Suicide

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the number of attempted suicides by (a) adults and (b) children awaiting deportation in 2011 to date.

Damian Green: I have assumed that the question relates to persons being held by the UK Border Agency pending removal or deportation. The data provided do not therefore include persons in the community who will be removed from the country in the future.
	The UK Border Agency keeps records of the number of incidents across its detention estate of self-harm where a person required some form of medical attention. Such attention may involve an examination by a nurse, or in more serious cases, treatment at a hospital. The data do not break down to show the type of treatment required, nor whether they were as a result of suicide attempts, given it is not always clear whether a person intended to take the more serious step of taking their own life.
	There were 119 incidents of self-harm across the Agency’s immigration removal centres which required medical attention between 1 January and 31 August 2011.
	The figure above does not include foreign national prisoners who will be deported at the end of their sentence or detainees being held in prisons or those held in the Agency’s short-term holding facilities.
	Children are only now held in very limited circumstances and for short periods, primarily when they have been intercepted at the border with their family or where they are being returned under the ensured return route. There have been no recorded instances in the same period where children being held attempted to harm themselves.
	The safety of those in the care of the UK Border Agency is taken very seriously, and there are well established systems and policies entitled Assessment Care in Detention and Teamwork (ACDT) to identify and support those who are at risk of suicide or self harm.
	The data provided are normally used for management information only and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. It is provisional and subject to change.

Detention Centres: Police

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the police have been called to the immigration removal centre at (a) Brook House, (b) Campsfield, (c) Colnbrook, (d) Dover, (e) Dungavel, (f) Harmondsworth, (g) Haslar, (h) Lindholme, (i) Morton Hall, (j) Tinsley House and (k) Yarl's Wood in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: There is no requirement on immigration removal centres to centrally collate the data requested. An accurate response could be provided only by examination of individual security records at each centre at disproportionate cost.
	The police might be called to a centre for a variety of different reasons, including where an offence may have been committed or to assist with managing incidents such as a death, an escape or a protest.

Domestic Violence

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2011, Official Report, column 653W, on domestic violence, when she expects to take a final decision on signature and ratification of the Council of Europe convention on preventing violence against women and domestic violence.

Lynne Featherstone: We continue to be supportive of the work of the Council of Europe in raising awareness of violence against women and girls and supported the efforts to agree a strong convention, but we are not yet in a position to make the final decision on signature and ratification. We are reviewing whether the requirements of the convention are best placed to support our existing work to tackle violence against women and girls and domestic violence in the UK.

Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what procedures are in place to monitor the level of service delivery by GEO Ltd in managing Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre;
	(2)  what recent representations she has received on the awarding of the contact to run Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre to GEO Ltd; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: All immigration removal centres operated by the private sector, including Dungavel, have their contracts managed by a central commercial team. The UK Border Agency has a team of staff based in each centre to monitor day to day contract delivery and compliance. Meetings take place with the centre manager at an operational level on a weekly basis and on a commercial level on a quarterly basis.
	Very recently, a letter addressed to the Secretary of State for the Home Department has been received about the GEO Group's overseas operations. A reply is being prepared.

Entry Clearances

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the number of Tier 2 intra company transfer visas that were issued for the 12 months to 1 September 2011.

Damian Green: 29,392 Tier 2 intra company transfer visas were issued in the period July 2010 to June 2011.
	The figures include the following endorsements for main applicants only.
	Tier 2 (ICT) graduate trainee
	Tier 2 (ICT) skills transfer
	Tier 2 (ICT) migrant
	Tier 2 (ICT) long-term staff migrant
	Tier 2 (ICT) Established Staff
	Tier 2 (ICT) short-term staff migrant
	The data is based on management information. It is provisional and subject to change.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to provide a transitional period to educational and language service providers to comply with new accreditation requirements.

Damian Green: The Government have adopted a phased approach to the implementation of the new educational oversight requirements. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), announced the new arrangements in Parliament on 22 March. On 31 March a Statement of Intent was published setting out the changes and implementation timetable in more detail.
	On 13 June the Government announced that educational oversight of private sector providers would largely be carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency and the Independent Schools Inspectorate. The deadline for applications to these bodies was 9 September. All sponsors must have been satisfactorily inspected or reviewed by one of the approved review bodies by December 2012.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the International Passenger Survey in measuring the number of student migrants in the UK.

Damian Green: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the International Passenger Survey to measure the number of student migrants in the UK (71190).
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) uses the International Passenger Survey (IPS) to estimate flows of international migrants into and out of the United Kingdom. The IPS is a continuous voluntary sample survey conducted by ONS. It covers the principal air, sea and Channel Tunnel routes between the UK and countries outside the British Isles.
	The IPS provides a good measure of the numbers of students arriving into the UK for formal study. Our latest provisional figures for the year ending Dec 2010 show that 228,000 migrants arrived to the UK for formal study. This estimate has a standard error percentage of 3 per cent, which is considered to be a reliable estimate.
	The current IPS questionnaire is not adequate for accurately identifying emigrants who originally migrated to the UK for study. The IPS records a passenger's main reason for migrating. Therefore a passenger's main reason for emigrating from the UK may bear no resemblance to the person's main activity while they have been resident in the UK. For example, a person who has been studying in the UK may be emigrating to work abroad. This means that it is currently not possible to derive a net student migration figure.
	ONS have addressed these limitations by developing a number of changes to the IPS, which will be effective from January 2012. These changes will identify emigrants who have been studying in the UK and thus will enable a net student migration figure to be estimated from the first quarter of 2012.

EU Nationals: Sentencing

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EU nationals resident in the UK given a custodial sentence of more than two years were removed from UK jurisdiction at the conclusion of their sentences in each year since 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: holding answer 14 September 2011
	The following table sets out the number of EEA nationals given a custodial sentence of more than two years who were removed from the UK in each year since 2006. Data prior to 2006 are not available.
	
		
			 EEA nationals given a custodial sentence of more than two years who were removed from the UK 
			  Number 
			 2006 246 
			 2007 404 
			 2008 411 
			 2009 389 
			 2010 421

Extremist Groups: Finance

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to alter the criteria for her Department's funding of organisations in order to prevent the funding of extremist groups.

James Brokenshire: The new Prevent strategy is clear: if organisations do not support the values of democracy, human rights, equality before the law and participation in society, then we will not fund them. The following guidelines have been developed to ensure that organisations funded by central Government are working in the public interest:
	1. The screening of organisations and individuals that apply for funding; to verify that they subscribe to our shared British values, are not extremist, do not support extremism and do not employ extremists;
	2. Systematic monitoring, based on first-hand knowledge of organisations and individuals awarded funding, to ensure that initial favourable assessments remain valid; and
	3. The capability to take prompt action to suspend or cease funding if concerns arise about any funded organisation or individual.

Forensic Science

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish her Department's analysis of the ability of private sector forensic science providers to undertake work currently performed by the Forensic Science Service.

James Brokenshire: The Association of Chief Police Officers have been clear that the forensics market can cope with the managed wind-down of the Forensic Science Service. The capacity and ramp up plans of forensic service providers is commercially sensitive information that would be of value to their competitors. As such we have no plans to release any information of this nature at present.

Forensic Science: Innovation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to promote innovation in the forensic science market through public procurement.

James Brokenshire: All police forces in England and Wales procure their forensic services through either the National Forensic Framework Agreement (NFFA), managed and supported by the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA), or as part of the North West, South West and Wales Forensic Contract. Both of these frameworks contain a requirement for forensic service providers to undertake research and development.

Human Trafficking

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what ways she expects the UK Border Agency to contribute to (a) reducing the number of and (b) identifying victims of human trafficking.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency has a vital role to play in disrupting trafficking attempts abroad and detecting trafficking both at the border and within the UK. Border staff are trained in child protection issues and to spot human trafficking; multi-agency child safeguarding and investigation teams are in place at the UK’s major ports; overseas border controls stop criminals and illegal immigrants before they get to the UK; people’s identities are fixed using biometrics; and alerts and intelligence tools are used to give officers the information they need to intervene. The UK Border Agency also supports the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) in pursuing organised criminals involved in trafficking.
	The UK Border Agency is one of the key agencies involved in the national referral mechanism (NRM), the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting trafficking victims. Together with other front line agencies such as the police, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations, the NRM shares information and expertise that can be used to confirm victim status and ensure appropriate care is provided.
	Further details of the UK Border Agency’s contribution can be found in the Government’s strategy on human trafficking, published on 19 July 2011, available at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/human-trafficking-strategy

Humberside Police: Olympic Games 2012

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers will be deployed from the Humberside police outside the Humberside area to assist in operations connected with the 2012 Olympic games; for how long they will be so deployed; and who will meet the cost of that deployment.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 14 September 2011
	While detailed planning continues and the final resource requirements will not be confirmed until early 2012, it is anticipated that a small number of Olympic venue forces, including Dorset, Surrey and the Metropolitan Police Service are likely to require a level of additional support in the form of officers supplied under mutual aid arrangements.
	Requests for mutual aid will be co-ordinated through the Association of Chief Police Officers, Police National Information and Co-ordination Centre (ACPO PNICC). This is the standard mechanism through which the police service manages all such movements of officers to support major events. It is expected that all non-venue forces across the UK, including Humberside police, will be asked to supply resources to the national operation and PNICC will ensure that resource requests are proportionate to the relative size and capacity of the providing force.
	The Home Office will reimburse donor forces in accordance with the policy prevailing at the time, which will allow them to back fill for officers supplied to support, thereby mitigating any potential impact on local service delivery. I understand that the four forces in the Yorkshire and Humber region are looking at the feasibility of responding to these mutual aid requests in a collaborative manner, though this is a matter for the chief officers and police authorities concerned.

Identity and Passport Service: Wales

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress the Identity and Passport Service has made on mobile interview teams in Wales.

Damian Green: Flexible working teams began offering customer interview appointments from new premises in Wrexham on 2 August and in Aberystwyth on 31 August. We are also planning for flexible working teams to offer appointments from new premises in Swansea from early October. Customer interview appointments are also offered in our Newport office as well as through video interview services hosted by local authority sites in Caernarfon, Newtown and Haverfordwest.

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many businesses had been issued with penalties for employing illegal immigrants in the 12 month period to 1 September 2011 and each of the previous five 12 month periods.

Damian Green: A total of 6,346 businesses have been served with a civil penalty for illegally employing migrant workers since the start of the regime on 29 February 2008.
	The following table shows the number of businesses that have been served with a penalty under section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, in each year to 1 September 2011
	
		
			  Number of businesses served with penalties 
			 29 February 2008 to 1 September 2008 616 
			 2 September 2008 to 1 September 2009 1,962 
			 2 September 2009 to 1 September 2010 2,283 
			 2 September 2010 to 1 September 2011 1,485 
			 Total 6,346 
			 Note: Any data provided within this written answer is sourced from internal databases. The Civil Penalty database utilised by the Civil Penalty Compliance Team (CPCT) is a management information tool and data from it is not quality assured under National Statistics protocols and is subject to change due to internal data quality checking.

Immigrants: Detainees

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the average cost per night of holding a detainee awaiting removal at (a) Brook House, (b) Campsfield, (c) Colnbrook, (d) Dover, (e) Dungavel, (f) Harmondsworth, (g) Haslar, (h) Lindholme, (i) Morton Hall, (j) Tinsley House and (k) Yarl's Wood.

Damian Green: We do not distinguish our detention costs between those held for removal from the UK and those held for further examination for entry into UK. To do so would require an examination of every person detained over the last 12 months which would be at a disproportionate cost.
	The average cost of holding a person per night in a detention centre is currently £102.

Immigrants: Detainees

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals were detained as adults under immigration powers but were later found to be children under 18 in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Damian Green: In May 2010, the Government announced a review into the ending of the detention of children in the UK for immigration purposes and announced the conclusions in December 2010. We are now publishing an unprecedented amount of information on detention both in relation to adults but also data on children entering detention. This can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q2-2011/
	We are unable to provide the complete dataset for the period requested. However, the agency does produce management information on the number of asylum age dispute cases in detention and these are released quarterly to selected corporate partners. These figures are provided in the following table:
	
		
			 Period Number of individuals detained as  adults but later released due to doubts over their age 
			 2009-10  
			 Quarter 3 (October to December) 3 
			 Quarter 4 (January to March) 6 
			   
			 2010-11  
			 Quarter 1 (April to June) 3 
			 Quarter 2 (July to September) 0 
			 Quarter 3 (October to December) 7 
			 Quarter 4 (January to March) 5 
		
	
	These figures are based on management information and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics.

Immigrants: Detainees

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals were detained as adults under the detained fast track procedure but were later found to be children under 18 in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Damian Green: Detailed records of age dispute cases within the detained fast track processes have been kept since July 2009.
	In 2009-10 three asylum applicants were released and later assessed as being under the age of 18.
	In 2010-11 no asylum applicants were released and later assessed as being under the age of 18.
	The figures are based on management information and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics.

Immigration Controls

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were refused entry to the UK at airports (a) in the year to 1 September 2011 and (b) in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The following table shows the total numbers of non-asylum passengers initially refused entry to the UK together with the numbers of those who were refused entry at airports, in each of the last five calendar years. The data for 2010 are provisional and subject to change.
	
		
			 Non-asylum passengers initially refused entry to the UK 
			  Total Of these, refused at airports 
			 2006 29,946 22,516 
			 2007 28,140 21,724 
			 2008 26,589 20,733 
			 2009 22,522 17,175 
			 2010 18,941 14,255 
		
	
	These figures exclude any cases where the person claims asylum at the border, and although could be technically refused entry, is ultimately granted temporary admission while a decision is made on their asylum claim.
	Information on those refused entry at airports on 1 September 2011 is a subset of data which are due for publication in the Immigration Statistics: July-September 2011 release on 24 November 2011 as part of the regular Home Office publication scheme and is not yet available.
	The Home Office publishes National Statistics on the number of non-asylum passengers refused entry to the UK on a quarterly and annual basis, which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Science, Research and Statistics web pages at:
	http://homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
	A copy of the Immigration Statistics: July-September 2011 release will be available from the Library of the House and the aforementioned website from 24 November 2011.

Immigration Controls

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the ability of firms to attract highly skilled workers following the implementation of the immigration cap.

Damian Green: Employers continue to be able to recruit the brightest and best foreign workers. After five months, over 6,000 spare places have been carried forward, meaning that the limit is currently around 50% undersubscribed and has not prevented any firm from recruiting a skilled migrant worker.

Immobilisation of Vehicles

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to bring forward legislation in respect of vehicle clamping companies; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: Clause 54 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill will make it an offence to immobilise, move or restrict the movement of a vehicle without lawful authority. In effect this will ban most clamping and towing by anyone other than the police, local authorities, bailiffs and other Government agencies. Subject to parliamentary approval, the Bill is expected to be enacted by May 2012. Our aim is to bring the ban on wheel clamping into force as soon as possible following Royal Assent.

Marriage of Convenience

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been removed as a result of involvement in a sham marriage since May 2010.

Damian Green: holding answer 7 September 2011
	The UK Border Agency does not record specific data on those people removed following a sham marriage.
	The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual search of individual case files.
	We are therefore unable to answer the PQ as tabled.

Members: Correspondence

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister of State for Policing plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Maldon of (a) 9 April 2011 and (b) 30 November 2010 on behalf of Mr Stephen Jennings.

Nick Herbert: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 28 April 2011.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for Immigration plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 9 August 2011 with regard to Mr S. Ullah.

Damian Green: A reply to the right hon. Gentlemen's letter was sent on 15 September 2011.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 9 August 2011 with regard to Mr R. Farrukh.

Damian Green: A reply to the right hon. Gentlemen's letter was sent on 14 September 2011.

Members: Correspondence

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 11 May 2011 from the right hon. Member for Exeter, ref: C/Ind/WALL01006.

Nick Herbert: A reply was sent on 22 August 2011.

Motor Vehicles: Theft

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) construction vehicles, (b) agricultural vehicles, (c) cars, (d) motorcycles and (e) commercial vehicles were stolen in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Brokenshire: The police recorded 99,277 offences of theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and 6,951 offences of aggravated vehicle taking in England and Wales in 2010-11 but the separate breakdowns requested are not centrally available.

Motor Vehicles: Theft

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what police resources were allocated to vehicle crime prevention in respect of (a) construction vehicles, (b) agricultural vehicles, (c) cars, (d) motorcycles and (e) commercial vehicles in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Brokenshire: The allocation of police resources to tackle vehicle crime is a matter for the relevant chief officer of each police force. This information is not collated centrally by the Home Office.

Motorcycles: Theft

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the motorcycle industry on steps to reduce the number of motorcycle thefts.

James Brokenshire: Home Office Ministers have not met the motorcycle industry, but I am aware that there are ongoing discussions between the Metropolitan Police Service and the industry on how best to tackle motorcycle theft.

Paedophilia

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources her Department has allocated to pursuing those involved in institutional paedophilia rings.

James Brokenshire: The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) leads nationally on tackling those who seek to abuse children. The Home Office has allocated £6.38 million to CEOP for 2011-12. CEOP receives additional financial support and support in kind from its partners in the private and voluntary sectors. Police forces throughout the country also have officers dedicated to child protection.

Police: Accountability

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the oral answer by the Prime Minister of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 350, if she will publish a breakdown of the estimated additional cost to the public purse of holding elections for police commissioners in November 2012.

Nick Herbert: The additional cost of deferring the Police and Crime Commissioner elections from May to November 2012 is £25 million. This will not come from police budgets.

Police: Manpower

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the number of police (a) sergeants and (b) constables employed in (i) 2007, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2011 by pay band.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 14 September 2011
	The available information shows the number of police sergeants and police constables that were employed in 2007, 2009 and 2011 and the top and bottom points on the pay scale for each rank. This information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of police sergeants and police constables employed in 2007, 2009 and 2011 by pay scale  (1, 2, 3) 
			  Police s  ergeants Police c  onstables 
			 31 March   each year Number of police sergeants  (4) Top of the pay scale (£) Bottom of the pay scale (£) Number of police constables  (4) Top of the pay scale (£) Bottom of the pay scale (£) 
			 2007 21,949 37,071 32,985 109,400 32,985 21,009 
			 2009 22,664 39,006 34,707 110,080 34,707 22,104 
			 2011 22,265 41,040 36,519 106,609 36,519 23,259 
			 (1) The figures for the pay scale for 2007 are from 1 September 2006. (2) The figures for the pay scale for 2009 are from 1 September 2008. (3) The figures for the pay scale for 2011 are from September 2010 (current rates). (4 )This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. These figures are as at 31 March.

Police: Manpower

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what information her Department holds on the number of police inspectors employed at each pay band in (a) 2007, (b) 2009 and (c) 2011;
	(2)  what information her Department holds on the number of police chief inspectors employed at each pay band in (a) 2007, (b) 2009 and (c) 2011.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 15 September 2011
	Available data show the number of police inspectors and chief inspectors employed in England and Wales, their salaries by top and bottom points on the pay scale in England and Wales and London for 2007, 2009 and 2011.
	The information is given in the following table.
	
		
			 N  umber of police inspectors and chief inspectors employed, England and Wales, and salaries for England and Wales and London, 2007, 2009 and 2011 by pay scale  (1,2,3) 
			  Police inspectors Police chief inspectors 
			 As at 31 March: Number of police inspectors  (4) Top of the pay scale (£)  (5) Bottom of the pay scale(£)  (5) Number of police inspectors  (4) Top of the pay scale (£)  (5) Bottom of the pay scale(£)  (5) 
			 2007 7,034 45,843 (47,709) 42,264 (44,118) 1,848 48,705 (50,568) 46,779 (48,645) 
			 2009 7,398 48,234 (50,199) 44,469 (46,419) 1,916 51,246 (53,205) 49,221 (51,183) 
			 2011 6,764 50,751 (52,818) 46,788 (48,840) 1,889 53,919 (55,980) 51,789 (53,853) 
			 (1) Pay scale information for 2007 is as at 31 March 2007, reflecting salaries applicable from 1 September 2006. (2) Pay scale information for 2009 is as at 31 March 2009, reflecting salaries applicable from 1 September 2008. (3) Pay scale information for 2011 is as at 31 March 2011, reflecting salaries applicable from 1 September 2010. These are the current salaries. (4) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (5 )London salaries in brackets.

Police: Manpower

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the average number of years of employment of (a) police constables, (b) sergeants, (c) inspectors and (d) chief inspectors at each pay band.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The information is not collected centrally. The Home Office collects figures for numbers of currently serving officers by rank and length in service. However, length in service is grouped in a series of size-bands, some of which span five years (e.g. 10 to 15 years). Therefore, any calculation of current average length in service from these data would be approximate. Furthermore, these data are not collected by pay increment within each rank.

Police: Sick Leave

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information she holds on the number of days of staff sickness absence in police forces in England on average per employee in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 15 September 2011
	Information is not centrally available on the number of days of staff sickness absence in police forces in England in 2009 and 2010. Figures are available on a financial year basis showing the contracted hours lost to sickness for police officers and police staff.
	These are shown in the following tables for 2009-10 and 2010-11 for individual police forces in England. The contracted hours lost to sickness are broken down by sickness term, the number of hours available and the number of contracted hours lost to sickness as a proportion of the number of hours available.
	
		
			 The contracted hours lost to sickness, by sickness term, the number of hours available and the number of contracted hours lost to sickness as a proportion of the number of hours available for police officers and police staff, by police force area, 2009-10 and 2010-11  (1) 
			  2009-10 
			  Police   o  fficers 
			  Contracted   hours lost to sickness   
			  Short-  t  erm Medium-  t  erm Long-  t  erm Total Total   contracted hours available Hours   lost to sickness as a proportion of hours available  (percentage  ) 
			 Avon and Somerset 74,335 48,351 117,568 240,253 5,810,900 4.1 
			 Bedfordshire 24,880 19,298 43,939 88,117 2,427,313 3.6 
			 Cambridgeshire 23,994 14,595 56,728 95,316 2,553,389 3.7 
			 Cheshire 20,158 17,022 61,218 98,397 3,781,969 2.6 
			 Cleveland 23,719 20,687 42,657 87,062 3,142,670 2.8 
			 Cumbria 19,488 13,815 56,828 90,131 2,227,316 4.0 
			 Derbyshire 28,974 24,917 78,603 132,494 3,705,100 3.6 
			 Devon and Cornwall 67,907 62,379 131,020 261,306 6,294,756 4.2 
			 Dorset 28,310 24,409 42,974 95,693 2,641,482 3.6 
			 Durham 17,835 15,566 70,024 103,425 2,717,537 3.8 
			 Dyfed-Powys 22,809 16,487 42,829 82,126 2,101,798 3.9 
			 Essex 68,504 38,200 128,056 234,760 4,700,221 5.0 
			 Gloucestershire 34,663 22,967 42,979 100,609 2,728,374 3.7 
			 Greater Manchester 102,589 88,040 357,145 547,773 14,556,520 3.8 
			 Gwent 23,988 24,960 57,956 106,905 2,436,147 4.4 
			 Hampshire 28,352 19,688 72,672 120,712 4,996,566 2.4 
			 Hertfordshire 38,462 34,501 64,893 137,857 3,777,734 3.6 
			 Humberside 29,425 29,495 34,940 93,859 3,628,334 2.6 
			 Kent 76,446 49,509 95,328 221,283 6,673,496 3.3 
			 Lancashire 36,778 41,085 145,922 223,784 6,465,916 3.5 
			 Leicestershire 25,266 23,022 58,148 106,436 4,123,573 2.6 
			 Lincolnshire 12,859 12,877 93,667 119,403 1,583,556 7.5 
			 London, City of 12,232 10,331 20,077 42,640 1,452,187 2.9 
			 Merseyside 27,285 43,932 232,946 304,163 7,959,586 3.8 
			 Metropolitan Police 347,610 364,950 1,054,779 1,767,339 58,681,889 3.0 
			 Norfolk 27,205 22,040 53,510 102,755 2,929,071 3.5 
			 Northamptonshire 29,809 20,154 24,131 74,093 2,351,684 3.2 
			 Northumbria 36,004 42,350 171,495 249,849 7,311,471 3.4 
			 North Wales 20,279 27,568 61,449 109,296 2,812,218 3.9 
			 North Yorkshire 21,742 14,876 59,368 95,986 2,603,391 3.7 
			 Nottinghamshire 36,626 25,941 97,870 160,437 4,284,099 3.7 
			 South Wales 36,842 43,894 189,226 269,962 5,561,292 4.9 
		
	
	
		
			 South Yorkshire 36,819 25,326 108,846 170,991 5,261,480 3.2 
			 Staffordshire 47,318 36,131 92,693 176,142 3,877,160 4.5 
			 Suffolk 11,539 9,176 38,184 58,899 2,258,212 2.6 
			 Surrey 28,651 19,755 76,122 124,528 3,246,623 3.8 
			 Sussex 54,650 48,662 102,950 206,261 5,835,432 3.5 
			 Thames Valley 80,249 49,806 165,544 295,599 7,825,883 3.8 
			 Warwickshire 18,917 15,143 60,849 94,909 1,743,068 5.4 
			 West Mercia 51,841 35,928 85,827 173,596 4,261,299 4.1 
			 West Midlands 100,998 118,911 275,574 495,483 15,726,636 3.2 
			 West Yorkshire 86,050 98,106 167,231 351,388 10,102,018 3.5 
			 Wiltshire 16,687 15,013 32,776 64,476 2,125,392 3.0 
		
	
	
		
			  2009-10 
			  Police staff 
			  Contracted   hours lost to sickness   
			  Short-term Medium-term Long-term Total Total contracted hours available Hours lost to sickness as a proportion of hours available  (percentage) 
			 Avon and Somerset 74,689 42,495 101,740 218,924 4,066,955 5.4 
			 Bedfordshire 23,026 14,060 46,365 83,451 1,739,793 4.8 
			 Cambridgeshire 28,050 19,201 43,550 90,802 2,054,799 4.4 
			 Cheshire 23,517 15,988 56,192 95,697 2,895,640 3.3 
			 Cleveland 18,709 17,494 22,391 58,594 1,510,019 3.9 
			 Cumbria 17,499 13,763 41,675 72,937 1,558,427 4.7 
			 Derbyshire 23,069 19,090 50,417 92,577 2,607,326 3.6 
			 Devon and Cornwall 64,573 43,694 103,023 211,290 3,998,856 5.3 
			 Dorset 31,198 20,379 48,313 99,891 1,987,899 5.0 
			 Durham 16,064 13,276 48,166 77,506 1,807,530 4.3 
			 Dyfed-Powys 15,900 8,790 25,141 49,831 1,289,676 3.9 
			 Essex 68,560 37,001 127,273 232,834 3,207,982 7.3 
			 Gloucestershire 21,907 15,946 29,822 67,675 1,643,116 4.1 
			 Greater Manchester 84,179 65,942 210,551 360,672 7,993,863 4.5 
			 Gwent 18,263 23,939 36,970 79,173 1,531,894 5.2 
			 Hampshire 31,568 21,623 43,365 96,555 3,358,633 2.9 
			 Hertfordshire 39,521 34,560 62,034 136,114 3,220,642 4.2 
			 Humberside 30,321 26,827 32,982 90,131 3,240,169 2.8 
			 Kent 69,180 43,166 87,163 199,509 4,925,077 4.1 
			 Lancashire 33,448 28,840 99,554 161,842 4,197,908 3.9 
			 Leicestershire 19,783 21,884 51,047 92,714 2,475,536 3.7 
			 Lincolnshire 16,888 13,863 48,723 79,475 1,288,478 6.2 
			 London, City of 7,497 3,778 11,424 22,699 537,532 4.2 
			 Merseyside 25,903 29,957 154,032 209,892 4,508,489 4.7 
			 Metropolitan Police 280,972 273,806 685,223 1,240,001 30,714,100 4.0 
			 Norfolk 28,337 19,040 39,787 87,164 2,631,126 3.3 
			 Northamptonshire 37,280 24,200 25,941 87,421 2,195,711 4.0 
			 Northumbria 32,543 30,681 99,541 162,765 4,098,918 4.0 
			 North Wales 13,240 16,862 36,810 66,913 1,765,261 3.8 
			 North Yorkshire 25,302 14,743 49,150 89,196 2,190,848 4.1 
			 Nottinghamshire 37,104 23,553 77,543 138,200 3,101,421 4.5 
			 South Wales 26,655 25,937 102,586 155,178 3,514,173 4.4 
			 South Yorkshire 43,312 31,324 121,700 196,337 4,415,703 4.4 
			 Staffordshire 38,322 24,803 73,096 136,221 2,926,543 4.7 
			 Suffolk 11,334 6,571 21,440 39,344 1,839,282 2.1 
			 Surrey 42,797 26,437 76,654 145,888 3,588,625 4.1 
			 Sussex 59,677 51,173 96,172 207,022 4,213,044 4.9 
		
	
	
		
			 Thames Valley 83,953 48,666 118,982 251,601 5,796,573 4.3 
			 Warwickshire 17,498 14,193 35,983 67,674 1,470,172 4.6 
			 West Mercia 54,361 30,641 59,266 144,268 3,266,965 4.4 
			 West Midlands 59,130 53,995 139,373 252,498 8,039,058 3.1 
			 West Yorkshire 73,610 68,195 108,190 249,995 6,938,523 3.6 
			 Wiltshire 19,943 15,992 33,989 69,924 5,421,869 1.3 
		
	
	
		
			  2010-11 
			  Police   o  fficers 
			  Contracted   hours lost to sickness   
			  Short-term Medium-term L  ong-term Total Total contracted hours available Hours lost to sickness as a proportion of hours available (percentage) 
			 Avon and Somerset 67,987 48,324 92,026 208,337 5,680,046 3.7 
			 Bedfordshire 21,698 16,268 38,435 76,401 2,584,599 3.0 
			 Cambridgeshire 21,318 15,389 41,703 78,410 2,526,295 3.1 
			 Cheshire 21,420 16,910 68,059 106,388 3,709,246 2.9 
			 Cleveland 12,249 13,736 33,415 59,400 2,299,977 2.6 
			 Cumbria 20,524 13,508 40,853 74,885 2,147,224 3.5 
			 Derbyshire 31,100 29,517 86,450 147,067 3,630,521 4.1 
			 Devon and Cornwall 63,599 45,883 45,889 155,371 6,209,366 2.5 
			 Dorset 27,658 22,672 53,335 103,664 2,605,584 4.0 
			 Durham 12,498 12,479 56,172 81,148 2,573,015 3.2 
			 Dyfed-Powys 25,863 18,141 55,351 99,354 2,046,266 4.9 
			 Essex 46,520 24,896 82,424 153,840 3,177,662 4.8 
			 Gloucestershire 35,124 21,628 44,021 100,773 2,600,252 3.9 
			 Greater Manchester 102,198 91,743 347,052 540,993 14,112,714 3.8 
			 Gwent 22,798 24,905 57,482 105,185 2,660,283 4.0 
			 Hampshire 93,840 0 131,088 224,928 6,497,219 3.5 
			 Hertfordshire 35,535 25,298 62,957 123,790 3,643,567 3.4 
			 Humberside 26,395 28,408 45,449 100,252 3,474,119 2.9 
			 Kent 70,318 40,704 74,216 185,238 6,531,276 2.8 
			 Lancashire 40,866 53,704 149,449 244,020 6,162,497 4.0 
			 Leicestershire 16,365 21,408 36,578 74,352 4,005,408 1.9 
			 Lincolnshire 12,769 10,935 59,154 82,858 2,102,023 3.9 
			 London, City of 12,876 6,286 15,667 34,829 1,539,429 2.3 
			 Merseyside 21,769 37,995 198,681 258,445 7,808,253 3.3 
			 Metropolitan Police 322,180 349,010 1,009,992 1,681,182 58,267,216 2.9 
			 Norfolk 28,939 24,908 48,375 102,221 2,853,253 3.6 
			 Northamptonshire 23,678 9,311 18,694 51,682 2,342,562 2.2 
			 Northumbria 35,653 41,540 162,054 239,246 7,214,439 3.3 
			 North Wales 14,774 21,084 38,025 73,884 2,726,403 2.7 
			 North Yorkshire 22,018 13,452 51,954 87,425 2,600,774 3.4 
			 Nottinghamshire 40,741 21,916 110,973 173,631 4,196,782 4.1 
			 South Wales 29,996 30,516 165,045 225,557 5,341,769 4.2 
			 South Yorkshire 32,695 26,864 85,737 145,295 5,184,483 2.8 
			 Staffordshire 41,819 34,669 89,823 166,312 3,785,676 4.4 
			 Suffolk 27,300 18,612 59,342 105,254 2,235,274 4.7 
			 Surrey 30,806 14,924 41,401 87,131 3,336,813 2.6 
			 Sussex 58,353 46,749 97,679 202,780 5,689,086 3.6 
			 Thames Valley 76,326 50,819 141,758 268,903 7,768,087 3.5 
			 Warwickshire 16,600 15,016 45,963 77,579 1,651,235 4.7 
			 West Mercia 49,588 34,164 82,017 165,770 2,038,357 8.1 
			 West Midlands 109,763 113,690 344,896 568,349 15,362,366 3.7 
			 West Yorkshire 71,714 82,407 112,125 266,247 9,854,597 2.7 
			 Wiltshire 20,234 15,152 41,826 77,212 1,977,959 3.9 
		
	
	
		
			  2010-11 
			  Police staff 
			  Contracted hours lost to sickness   
			  Short-term Medium-term Long-term Total Total contracted hours available Hours lost to sickness as a proportion of hours available (percentage) 
			 Avon and Somerset 56,317 34,703 58,556 149,575 3,688,242 4.1 
			 Bedfordshire 18,919 11,670 34,489 65,078 1,905,649 3.4 
			 Cambridgeshire 22,636 14,839 41,856 79,330 1,964,197 4.0 
			 Cheshire 20,326 15,966 50,105 86,398 2,796,211 3.1 
			 Cleveland 6,627 6,765 17,040 30,433 926,868 3.3 
			 Cumbria 16,488 11,998 30,134 58,620 1,501,417 3.9 
			 Derbyshire 20,333 25,735 54,909 100,977 2,440,460 4.1 
			 Devon and Cornwall 65,306 41,351 55,577 162,234 3,885,600 4.2 
			 Dorset 29,240 18,200 43,793 91,232 1,973,607 4.6 
			 Durham 8,197 7,211 34,402 49,809 1,702,048 2.9 
			 Dyfed-Powys 14,991 10,216 34,590 59,797 1,268,662 4.7 
			 Essex 36,726 20,993 58,986 116,705 2,005,000 5.8 
			 Gloucestershire 21,604 15,376 22,914 59,895 1,611,155 3.7 
			 Greater Manchester 66,462 55,259 186,391 308,112 7,873,585 3.9 
			 Gwent 15,614 22,141 50,401 88,156 1,585,283 5.6 
			 Hampshire 86,277 0 91,628 177,905 4,373,754 4.1 
			 Hertfordshire 31,410 25,975 53,041 110,426 3,124,529 3.5 
			 Humberside 28,246 32,040 33,305 93,591 3,186,134 2.9 
			 Kent 55,281 34,918 71,489 161,688 4,741,687 3.4 
			 Lancashire 33,062 32,039 81,068 146,169 3,746,923 3.9 
			 Leicestershire 12,059 13,244 33,451 58,755 2,364,310 2.5 
			 Lincolnshire 14,448 11,886 52,760 79,094 1,714,634 4.6 
			 London, City of 6,713 2,670 11,414 20,797 575,681 3.6 
			 Merseyside 19,069 23,565 108,293 150,927 4,584,491 3.3 
			 Metropolitan Police 263,059 251,667 696,166 1,210,892 30,223,093 4.0 
			 Norfolk 26,389 15,971 30,861 73,221 2,193,076 3.3 
			 Northamptonshire 29,341 14,681 28,083 72,104 1,756,589 4.1 
			 Northumbria 26,403 22,285 101,286 149,973 3,932,049 3.8 
			 North Wales 10,076 19,453 26,900 56,429 1,700,889 3.3 
			 North Yorkshire 22,935 13,689 47,697 84,320 2,286,348 3.7 
			 Nottinghamshire 33,454 17,655 78,315 129,424 3,056,324 4.2 
			 South Wales 22,368 19,922 86,009 128,299 3,401,934 3.8 
			 South Yorkshire 39,592 31,346 118,180 189,117 4,290,464 4.4 
			 Staffordshire 32,802 22,177 77,222 132,200 2,782,680 4.8 
			 Suffolk 23,995 16,438 42,766 83,200 1,846,183 4.5 
			 Surrey 41,437 20,748 48,179 110,364 3,651,168 3.0 
			 Sussex 57,797 46,852 81,971 186,619 4,089,421 4.6 
			 Thames Valley 77,162 45,803 99,310 222,275 5,663,811 3.9 
			 Warwickshire 14,792 11,996 34,041 60,829 1,421,683 4.3 
			 West Mercia 47,753 25,223 52,697 125,673 1,610,350 7.8 
			 West Midlands 53,044 49,879 132,218 235,141 7,717,447 3.0 
			 West Yorkshire 49,577 49,965 94,725 194,267 6,801,960 2.9 
			 Wiltshire 23,061 13,233 33,793 70,087 1,785,742 3.9 
			 (1) Data are provisional and have not been verified by forces.

Police: Southwark

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many police officers were assigned to duties in the London borough of Southwark in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many police community support officers were assigned to duties in the London borough of Southwark in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many civilian staff were assigned to duties in the London borough of Southwark in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 13 September 2011
	The available information shows the number of police officers, police community support officers and police staff in the London borough of Southwark, in each of the five years to 31 March 2011 (full-time equivalents).
	
		
			 Police officers, police community support officers and civilian staff strength in the London borough of Southwark, 2007-11  (1) 
			 Number 
			 As at   31 March   each year Police officers Police community support officers Police staff 
			 2007 846 75 194 
		
	
	
		
			 2008 844 102 184 
			 2009 905 132 174 
			 2010 964 154 156 
			 2011 933 131 151 
			 (1) These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Figures include those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.

Prevent Funding

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with (a) Universities UK and (b) the British Medical Association on the Prevent strategy.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office is the lead Department for the Prevent strategy but its delivery in particular sectors is managed by other Departments.
	Officials and Ministers from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, as the lead Department for the delivery of Prevent in higher education and further education institutions, regularly meet with representatives from Universities UK.
	The Department of Health, as the lead Department for the delivery of Prevent in the health sector, will shortly be discussing the Prevent strategy with the British Medical Association.

Prevent Funding

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals received Prevent-related support (a) in the year to 1 September 2011 and (b) in each of the last five years as a result of intelligence passed on by groups that received Prevent funding in line with section 6.35 of the Prevent strategy.

James Brokenshire: Prevent-related support for individuals is not the result of intelligence passed on by groups but of referrals made to the Channel scheme.
	Channel is a multi-agency process that aims to help individuals who are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.
	The specific information requested is not available but the most recent published data shows that between April 2007 to December 2010, 1,120 people were referred to Channel. Of these, 286 were assessed by a multi-agency panel as needing support.
	Recording standards have varied over time and across forces, so this aggregate data may not be internally consistent and there is some evidence of imperfect data which it has not been possible to clean or correct.

Raed Salah

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date she authorised the exclusion order against Sheikh Raed Salah.

Damian Green: Raed Salah was excluded from the UK on 23 June.

Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legislative proposals she plans to bring forward to amend the Scrap Dealers Act 1964.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office is in discussion with other Government Departments to identify whether any legislative changes should be made to the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 to tackle the theft of metal.

Skilled Workers: Emigration

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate has been made of the level of (a) immigration and (b) emigration between the UK and (i) the US, (ii) China, (iii) Singapore, (iv) Japan, (v) Switzerland, (vi) Jersey, (vii) Guernsey, (viii) the Isle of Man, (ix) Bermuda and (x) the Cayman Islands in each quarter since 2007.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the level of (a) immigration and (b) emigration between the UK and (i) the US, (ii) China, (iii) Singapore, (iv) Japan, (v) Switzerland, (vi) Jersey, (vii) Guernsey, (viii) the Isle of Man, (ix) Bermuda and (x) the Cayman Islands in each quarter since 2007.
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) uses the International Passenger Survey (IPS) to estimate flows of international migrants into and out of the United Kingdom. The IPS is a continuous voluntary sample survey conducted by ONS. It covers the principal air, sea and Channel Tunnel routes between the UK and countries outside the British Isles.
	The table shows rolling annual estimates of long-term international migration to and from the UK for the USA, China, Singapore and Japan from the year ending March 2007 to the year ending December 2009 (the latest data available). Reliable long term migration estimates are not available for Bermuda, Switzerland or the Cayman Islands due to the small sample sizes in the IPS. Routes between the Channel Islands/Isle of Man and the UK are excluded from the estimates, as is all movement of diplomats and armed forces personnel.
	
		
			 International Passenger Survey (IPS) estimates of long-term international migration, rolling annual data to Q4 2009, United Kingdom 
			 Thousand 
			  Country of last/next residence 
			  United States of America China (excluding Taiwan) Singapore Japan 
			 Year ending Est SE% Est SE% Est SE% Est SE% 
			 Inflow         
			 2007         
			 March 22 10 20 12 2 24 6 19 
			 June 24 9 19 13 1 25 6 20 
			 September 24 11 18 12 1 27 5 16 
			 December 22 12 18 12 1 28 5 16 
			          
			 2008         
			 March 22 12 19 14 1 28 5 17 
			 June 23 12 19 14 1 25 6 16 
			 September 20 12 17 13 2 24 n/a n/a 
			 December 23 12 17 14 2 24 n/a n/a 
			          
			 2009         
			 March 21 13 18 12 2 25 n/a n/a 
			 June 20 14 17 12 3 28 n/a n/a 
			 September 32 12 22 11 5 26 6 16 
			 December 30 12 22 11 5 25 6 17 
			          
			 Outflow         
			 2007         
			 March 31 12 11 21 2 34 6 23 
			 June 26 13 10 22 2 28 5 23 
			 September 21 13 9 20 3 18 4 18 
			 December 19 12 7 17 3 16 4 15 
			          
			 2008         
			 March 17 13 7 16 3 16 4 17 
			 June 22 12 8 15 3 17 4 17 
			 September 24 11 8 16 2 19 3 20 
			 December 22 11 8 16 2 20 4 22 
			          
			 2009         
			 March 24 11 8 17 2 20 4 24 
			 June 22 10 9 16 2 23 4 24 
			 September 27 10 11 13 2 22 5 21 
			 December 27 10 11 12 2 25 4 18 
			 n/a = not available. Notes: 1. All estimates are uncalibrated. There may therefore be small differences from other published estimates. 2. Standard error percentages (SE%) indicate the robustness of each estimate. A migration figure with a standard error of >25% is not considered to be reliable. For any given estimate there is a 95% probability that the true figure lies in the range: estimate +/- 0.0196 x estimate x standard error %.

Theft: Metals

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what steps she is planning to take to reduce the trade in stolen metal;
	(2)  what progress her Department has made in bringing forward legislative proposals to strengthen regulation of scrap metal yards.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office recognises the significance of metal theft to the United Kingdom and that some scrap metal yards are a disposal route for stolen metal. The Home Office is in discussion with other Government Departments to identify whether any legislative changes should be made to tackle the theft of metal.

UK Border Agency: Termination of Employment

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are expected to leave the UK Border Agency through natural wastage.

Damian Green: The number of staff expected to leave the UK Border Agency through natural wastage per annum is in a range from 330 (1.5%) to 500 (2.3%) per annum. Natural wastage has been calculated on retirement and resignation rates in permanent staff.

Violent and Sex Offender Register: Foreign Nationals

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many foreign national offenders were on the violent and sex offender register in each of the last five years; and how many foreign national offenders have been added to the violent and sex offender register in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many foreign national offenders on the violent and sex offender register have (a) reoffended, (b) been recalled to prison and (c) breached the terms of their licence on release from prison in each of the last five years;
	(3)  for how many foreign national offenders on the violent and sex offender register is their location unknown.

Lynne Featherstone: The data required to answer this question are not collected in the format requested and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
	ViSOR (previously known as the violent and sex offenders register) is a UK-wide computer database system used by the police as a case management system and by other agencies to share information. ViSOR stores information on a number of offender types, including but not limited to registered sex offenders. The database is not designed as a statistical tool.

Visas

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration her Department has given to the implementation of an online system to enable applicants to monitor the progress of their visa applications.

Damian Green: Visa applicants in most countries can apply online. They receive a reference number which allows them to track where their documents are at any one time (either in the Visa Application Centre or at the decision-making UK Mission) but which does not monitor the status of the application. The decision to issue or refuse the visa is made known personally to the applicant at the time of return of their documents.
	As part of the development of its new immigration case working system, the UK Border Agency is introducing online customer accounts for all applications made online both in the UK and overseas. These will include the ability for customers to receive updates on the status of their application at key junctures in the application process.

TRANSPORT

A64

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on road safety on the A64 between York and Scarborough.

Michael Penning: Representations about safety issues on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) are handled by the Highways Agency.
	The Highways Agency maintains a regular dialogue with all relevant stakeholders about the A64 between York and Scarborough. This includes regular meetings with North Yorkshire police and North Yorkshire county council and various local committees and transport groups. Safety is a standing item for discussion at each of these meetings. However, no specific representations about road safety have been made to the Highways Agency at these meetings.
	I can confirm that the Highways Agency has received a number of representations from the residents of the village of Ganton since 24 January 2011. These representations commenced following a fatal accident at the neighbouring village of West Heslerton. This tragic incident is currently the subject of ongoing police investigations and a coroner's inquest.

A64

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met (a) the Highways Agency, (b) North Yorkshire County Council and (c) local community groups to discuss road safety on the A64 between York and Scarborough.

Michael Penning: I meet regularly with the Highways Agency but there have been no specific discussions about safety on the A64 between York and Scarborough.
	I have not discussed road safety matters relating to the A64 at this location with North Yorkshire county council or local community groups.

A64

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve road safety and reduce congestion on the A64 between York and Scarborough; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: Any plans for the A64 will be developed through continuous routine network management, and will be delivered subject to prioritisation and the availability of funding.

Aviation: Working Hours

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to notify pilots of the entry into force of the new European-wide flight-time limitations; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Civil Aviation Authority will notify pilots of the entry into force of European flight and duty time limitations. Currently, we expect the Commission regulation giving effect to the proposed requirements to come into force in the autumn of 2013. We anticipate that airlines will be given an additional period to transition to the new requirements.

Aviation: Working Hours

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with the US Federal Aviation Administration on pilot fatigue; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: At this stage in the development of the European requirements, neither the Department nor the Civil Aviation Authority has had any formal discussions with the Federal Aviation Administration on this subject.

Aviation: Working Hours

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the Notice of Proposed Amendment on Flight-time Limitations.

Theresa Villiers: Neither Ministers nor the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), had recent discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority on this topic. However, officials have regular discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority about the development of European requirements on aviation safety including those on flight time limitations.

Aviation: Working Hours

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution his Department has made to establishing new flight-time limitations for pilots; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: Officials from the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority have responded to the European Aviation Safety Agency's consultation on draft implementing rules on flight time limitations. The CAA has published its comments on its website at:
	www.caa.co.uk
	EASA are in the process of reviewing the responses to the consultation and will be issuing an amended proposal in due course. The Department, taking account of advice from the Civil Aviation Authority, will put forward the UK's views on the proposed requirements. Ministers will determine how the UK will vote when a legislative proposals is made.

Bus Services: Finance

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of the comprehensive spending review on tendered bus services provided by local transport authorities.

Norman Baker: I am aware that, as a result of local decisions, in some areas of the country bus services are being reduced. The latest statistics on bus services can be found at the Department for Transport website and are updated periodically:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/buses/
	Changes to bus and community transport services are a matter for bus operators and local transport authorities. The Government do not and cannot make an assessment of every individual change but are working with local transport authorities to get an overall picture.

Buses: Concessions

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation he undertook with (a) coach and bus operators, (b) members of the public, (c) charities and groups representing elderly people and (d) charities and groups representing people with disabilities on the change in his Department's expenditure on the Coach Concessionary Travel Scheme.

Norman Baker: The decision to end Government funding for the half price coach concession was announced as part of the Chancellor's 2010 spending review.
	Decisions taken in the spending review were not the subject of public consultation.

Buses: Concessions

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people in (a) Sunderland and (b) England have made journeys assisted by the Coach Concessionary Travel Scheme in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not hold information on the number of people assisted by the coach concessionary travel scheme in the last five years.
	The following table shows the number of concessionary coach tickets sold in England in the last five years. Data are not available to show ticket sales in Sunderland specifically.
	
		
			 Concessionary coach tickets sold in England 
			  Number 
			 2010-11 3,247,850 
			 2009-10 3,187,476 
			 2008-09 3,320,378 
			 2007-08 3,011,102 
			 2006-07 2,868,736

Buses: Concessions

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2011, Official Report, column 953W, on buses: concessions, what assessment he has made of the effects of withdrawing funding for the Coach Concessionary Travel Scheme on those aged over 60 in (a) England, (b) the west midlands and (c) Dudley borough; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: A regulatory impact assessment relating to the ending of the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) coach concession in England was drafted and submitted to the Reducing Regulation Committee for clearance. The impact assessment will be published on the DFT website and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House when it is available.
	Following the 2010 spending review announcement, National Express said they were already planning for the removal of the coach concessionary fares scheme in October 2011 and would announce new products aimed at the over 60s and disabled travellers in due course. National Express said that they believed the financial impact of the scheme's removal was manageable and would be mitigated by their own plans.
	No assessment of the effects of ending the coach concession in the west midlands or Dudley borough has been made.

Buses: Concessions

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2011, Official Report, column 953W, on buses: concessions, what estimate he has made of the number of over-60s in (a) England, (b) the west midlands and (c) Dudley borough who have used the Coach Concessionary Travel Scheme in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not hold information on the number of over 60s who have used the coach concessionary travel scheme in the last five years.
	The following table shows the number of concessionary coach tickets sold in England in the last five years. Data are not available to show ticket sales in west midlands or Dudley specifically.
	
		
			  Concessionary coach tickets sold in England 
			 2010-11 3,247,850 
			 2009-10 3,187,476 
			 2008-09 3,320,378 
			 2007-08 3,011,102 
			 2006-07 2,868,736

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Norman Baker: DFT(c) and two of its agencies (Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Vehicle Certification Agency) use Capita Business Travel. Highways Agency uses NYS Corporate Ltd and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency uses Redfern Travel Management Services. Driving Standards Agency uses Portman Travel for the purchase of some long haul airline tickets. The remaining two agencies (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and Government Car and Despatch Agency) do not use travel management companies for the provision of air tickets, but use direct booking if the need arises.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Norman Baker: DFT(c) and four of its agencies (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Highways Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and Vehicle Certification Agency) use contracts under the Government Travel Framework established by Buying Solutions (now Government Procurement Services). The framework provides its users with the benefits arising from collaborative procurement processes. In addition, the framework suppliers offer the centrally negotiated discounts contained in the Government Air Programme which provides savings when tickets are necessarily bought at short notice.
	The remaining three agencies (Driving Standards Agency, Government Car and Despatch Agency and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) have very low demand for air tickets and use direct booking if the need arises.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: Support for the Department’s chief scientific adviser was provided through a small unit which also had responsibility for related science, technology and research issues. The resource budget allocations (running costs) were:
	
		
			  Running costs (£000) 
			 2007-08 836 
			 2008-09 907 
			 2009-10 814 
			 2010-11 722 
			 2011-12 748

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years.

Norman Baker: One individual held the post of chief scientific adviser in the Department for Transport between October 2006 and May 2011. The post was part-time and for both 2010 and 2011 received a salary in the range £80,000 to £84,999. The post is currently vacant.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

Norman Baker: Support for the Department's chief scientific adviser was provided through a small unit which also had responsibility for related science, technology and research issues. The full-time equivalent staff allocated in that unit were:
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent staff 
			 2007-08 14.1 
			 2008-09 12.6 
			 2009-10 11.7 
			 2010-11 10.7 
			 2011-12 9.5 
		
	
	The unit predates this period and was substantially revised when DFT was created in 2002.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport (including agencies and non- departmental public bodies) is committed to handling science and engineering advice in accordance with the Government chief scientific adviser's “Guidelines on the use of science and engineering advice in Policy Making”.
	Scientific Advisory Committees that advise the Department operate in line with the “Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees”.
	Commissioned research is carried out externally under contract by academia, industry and other research organisations and must comply with the “General Conditions of Contract of Services”. This includes provisions that any work undertaken is in line with the required Quality Standards (which may vary from commission to commission) and is performed in accordance with the Law and Good Industry Practice.
	Research undertaken and managed by social researchers within the Department is also subject to a Code of Practice set out by the Government Social Research Service (GSR), the professional membership organisation for social researchers in government. These principles apply to research undertaken by the Department's social researchers and by the external contractors they manage.

Heathrow Airport: Railways

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government about a railway transport hub at Heathrow airport.

Theresa Villiers: No discussions have been held with Ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government about the proposal for a railway transport hub at Heathrow airport.

Highways Agency: Government Procurement Card

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) transaction date, (b) transaction amount and (c) supplier was of each transaction undertaken by the Highways Agency using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10; and which of these transactions attracted level three or enhanced transaction entry.

Michael Penning: holding answer 12 September 2011
	The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Large Goods Vehicles: EU Action

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the EU Transport Commissioner relating to proposals to increase the permitted length of HGVs; and whether he plans for further such representations.

Michael Penning: I have not discussed this matter with the EU Transport Commissioner. We intend to announce our conclusions and proposed way forward on longer semi-trailers, in the light of the responses to the recent consultation exercise, early in the new parliamentary session.

Large Goods Vehicles: Tolls

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the scope and goals are of the HGV road user charging scheme.

Michael Penning: The primary aim of the HGV road user charging scheme would be to ensure a fairer competitive environment for UK hauliers. We are still working up detailed proposals, but our current intention is that it would apply to all HGVs, both foreign and UK-registered, of 12 tonnes and above.

Metals: Theft

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the conclusions were of the interdepartmental working group on the theft of metals held on 14 September 2011 and chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer I gave to him on this issue on 15 September 2011, Official Report, column 1172. I should also record that this ministerial meeting was in fact chaired by my noble Friend Baroness Browning, then Minister of State for crime prevention and antisocial behaviour reduction.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the consolidation of existing support mechanisms for low and ultra-low emission vehicle research and development; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has consolidated its existing support mechanisms for low and ultra-low emission vehicle research and development by channelling all future programmes through Technology Strategy Board (TSB). The Department has been working with the TSB and industry to identify key areas of research with the aim of inviting bids by end of this financial year.

Passenger Focus

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he plans to make to the functions of Passenger Focus.

Theresa Villiers: There are no plans to change the functions of Passenger Focus. However, it has reduced the scope of its activities as part of a major restructuring programme to fit in with a substantial reduction in its budget. The inclusion of Passenger Focus in schedule 3 of the Public Bodies Bill could facilitate changes to the Passenger Focus Board.

Public Transport: Concessions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the cost to local authorities of renewing concessionary travel passes when they expire in 2013;
	(2)  whether his Department plans to provide financial assistance in 2012-13 to local authorities for the renewal of concessionary travel passes when they expire in 2013;
	(3)  what plans he has for the validity of concessionary travel passes beyond five years; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: In the spending review last autumn the Government stated that they will protect the statutory entitlement for concessionary bus travel, ensuring that older people can maintain greater freedom and independence.
	Not all England National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) passes expire in 2013. Legislation requires that the maximum life of an ENCTS pass is five years from the date of issue, but there is no recommended minimum life. Travel concession authorities (TCAs) are free therefore to set the exact expiry date provided it is no more than five years. Consequently, many passes have an expiry date of less than five years and will be up for renewal before 2013. The Department has always recommended that TCAs consider staggering the expiry dates on passes so that they do not all need to be replaced at the same time. This could be done, for example, by setting expiry dates at monthly intervals by alphabetic distribution of surname, or by date of birth.
	The Department will not be providing additional funding for the cost to local authorities of renewing ENCTS passes. Local authorities in England receive funding for the National Concessionary Travel Scheme through Formula Grant funding administered by DCLG. It is expected that some of this funding will be spent on administering the scheme, with the majority being spent on reimbursement to bus operators for carrying ENCTS passholders.
	The Department has not made an assessment of the cost to local authorities of renewing ENCTS passes, and costs will depend on the efficiency of each TCA's individual renewals process.

Public Transport: Concessions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effects of increasing the state retirement age on the cost of providing concessionary travel.

Norman Baker: I refer the hon. Member to page 15 of the Explanatory Memorandum to The Travel Concessions (Eligibility) England Order 2010 No. 459 which can be found at the following link:
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/459/pdfs/uksiem _20100459_en.pdf

Railway Stations: Manpower

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria will be used in determining which railway station ticket offices should remain staffed.

Theresa Villiers: The proposal for the removal of ticket offices at certain stations was the recommendation of an independent study by Sir Roy McNulty on the value for money of the railways. The aim of the study was to examine the overall cost structure of all elements of the rail sector to identify the options for improving value for money to both passengers and to the taxpayer, while continuing to expand capacity as necessary and drive up passenger satisfaction with the railway. Government are currently considering the findings of this independent report but no decisions have yet been made.

Railway Stations: Manpower

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) safety of and (b) crime levels against rail travellers of unstaffed category E stations.

Theresa Villiers: No such assessments have been made by the Government. Health and safety matters at individual stations are the responsibility of railway safety duty holders such as train operating companies or infrastructure managers. These are regulated by the Office of Rail Regulation. Crime levels at individual stations are monitored by the British Transport Police (BTP).
	However, the Department for Transport's Secure Stations Scheme, run jointly with the BTP, accredits stations that have good security practices in place. Accredited stations have introduced packages of security measures to cut down crime and enhance security. There are currently 1,271 accredited secure stations across the railway network.
	A proposal for the removal of certain ticket offices was the recommendation of an independent study by Sir Roy McNulty on the value for money of the railways. The Government are currently considering the findings of this independent report but no decisions have yet been made.

Railways

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress he has made on implementing the recommendations of the McNulty report.

Theresa Villiers: The Department has been working closely with industry and the regulator to examine the proposals in Sir Roy McNulty's independent review of Rail Value for Money. We have already accepted Sir Roy's recommendation to conduct a review of fares policy, the terms of which we expect to announce shortly. Over the coming months, we will be finalising a package of priority proposals to be delivered through the refranchising programme and during Control Period 5.

Railways: Fares

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that increases in rail fares in 2012 will result in an improved service and better quality rolling stock.

Theresa Villiers: This Government have embarked on one of the biggest programmes of rail investment for a 100 years. This includes projects such as Crossrail, Thameslink, rail electrification and delivering more than 2,700 new rail carriages.
	To deliver this major upgrade programme, we have needed to ask fare payers to contribute as well as taxpayers. The pressing need to tackle the deficit has forced us to take the difficult decisions to increase fares in 2012.

Railways: Franchises

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 746W, on west coast railway lines, whether train operating companies will continue to receive revenue from the lease for stations if they subsequently lose the franchise for the line.

Theresa Villiers: The outgoing west coast train operator would typically transfer the station lease, including the operating revenues, to a successor operator.
	Where an investment has been made that extends beyond the franchise term we would expect to recognise future value for that investment at the end of the franchise through a payment from the successor operator to the outgoing operator. The detailed arrangements are under consideration.

Railways: Franchises

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he plans to use to determine levels of flexibility in future rail franchises.

Theresa Villiers: The criteria which will be used to assess options for specifying and contracting rail services are:
	the fit with the Government's wider transport and economic objectives;
	value for money; and
	affordability.
	These criteria frequently conflict, and in reaching a final decision, the Department's task is to strike a reasonable balance.

Railways: Great Yarmouth

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the likely average change in rail fares for rail travellers in Great Yarmouth in January 2012.

Theresa Villiers: Regulated fares from Great Yarmouth will increase by an average of 8%. This is calculated in line with the consolidated spending review announcement to increase regulated fares by RPI (which was 5% in July) plus 3% for the next three years. The increase in unregulated fares is a commercial matter for National Express East Anglia. This increase will help fund the Government's rail improvement programme.

Rescue Services: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessments he has made of the (a) safety risks associated with and (b) socio-economic impact of the proposed closure of the Clyde Coastguard.

Michael Penning: No individual assessment specific to the closure of Clyde Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre has been made in respect of (a) safety risk or (b) socio-economic impact.
	The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has assessed on a national basis the safety risks in relation to HM Coastguard's current operation and how these are mitigated by the modernisation proposals. The MCA has also assessed the impact of the modernisation proposals on HM Coastguards capability to deliver its national service.
	These assessments, as well as a location impact assessment, sub-centre rationale and supporting tables showing factors taken into consideration in the choice of sub-centres can be found on the MCA's website at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/mca

Road Signs and Markings

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to complete consideration of the final recommendations of the Traffic Signs review.

Norman Baker: Consideration has been completed and I expect to make a full announcement shortly.

Road Signs and Markings: Tourism

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made on his Department's review of brown tourist signs.

Michael Penning: A cross-departmental review of brown tourism traffic signs was established following the publication of the Government's ‘Tourism Strategy’ in March. This work is proceeding and stakeholders will be invited to take part in the development of new criteria to meet both the needs of the road user and the tourism industry.

Roads: Accidents

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to prevent injuries (a) caused by and (b) to cyclists.

Michael Penning: We take the issue of cycle safety very seriously. Everyone who uses the highway has a responsibility to behave safely and with consideration for others, in May we launched the Strategic Framework for Road Safety:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/strategic-framework-for-road-safety
	which sets out our approach to continuing to reduce killed and seriously injured casualties on Britain's roads. In addition the Government are also progressing measures with regards to improving European vehicle safety regulations, supporting Bikeability cycle training for the rest of this Parliament, raising the standard of lorry driver training, and promoting the Highway Code. There are also a range of measures local authorities can take, for instance, safer road infrastructure, cycle lanes, local safety campaigns, 20 mph zones and better traffic management. These will, however, depend on local decisions and need to reflect local priorities.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what comparison he has made between the procurement processes for new passenger rolling stock of his Department with (a) the rolling stock leasing companies and (b) Transport for London.

Theresa Villiers: The Department shares knowledge with Transport for London (TfL) on its procurements and looks at lessons learnt from previous procurements including those by rolling stock leasing companies and TfL. This work helps inform decisions on procurement strategy.

Safety Belts

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what recent research his Department has evaluated on installing seat belt reminders in cars; if he will place in the Library a copy of each such piece of research; and if he will make a statement; [R]
	(2)  what recent reports he has received of the effectiveness of advanced seat belt reminder systems with visual and audible warnings for increasing seat belt use; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has not evaluated any research on installing seat belt reminders in cars, nor has it reviewed any reports regarding the effectiveness of advanced seat belt reminder systems.
	However, requirements for fitting seat belt reminders with both visual and audible warnings to the driver's seat of passenger cars were included within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe regulations in 2008.
	Many manufacturers already build their vehicles to conform to these regulations on a voluntary basis, in order to achieve higher ratings in consumer tests, but these provisions will become mandatory across Europe for all new types of passenger cars from November 2012, as part of a suite of harmonisation and simplification measures.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department took to ensure consultants and consultancies offering advice on the Thameslink Rolling Stock contract were impartial and credible.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 15 September 2011
	All consultants that have been employed on the Thameslink Rolling Stock Project procurement have had to satisfy the requirements of an accreditation review by the Department for Transport (DFT). Furthermore, support contracts have been subjected to individual procurement competitions to ensure that suppliers are capable of delivering the required services whilst offering value for money. At all times suppliers are obliged to declare any conflict of interest to the DFT.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Thameslink Rolling Stock Project contract is subject to (a) Public Contract Regulations and (b) Utilities Contract Regulations.

Theresa Villiers: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given to the right hon. Member for Derby South (Margaret Beckett) on 5 September 2011, Official Report, column 219W.

Traffic Commissioners

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to appoint a new senior traffic commissioner.

Michael Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), expects a new senior traffic commissioner to be appointed by the end of the year.

Traffic Commissioners: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Welsh Government on establishing a post of traffic commissioner for Wales located in Wales.

Michael Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has had no specific discussions with the Minister in the Welsh Government on this matter.

Twickenham Station

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with representatives of (a) the Rugby Football Union, (b) Network Rail and (c) the London borough of Richmond upon Thames to consider changes to Twickenham railway station ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Theresa Villiers: Details of meetings by the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), are published quarterly on the Department for Transport (DFT) website.
	He has not met with the Rugby Football Union, Network Rail or the London borough of Richmond upon Thames to discuss changes to Twickenham railway station.
	The DFT expects the Rugby Football Union to engage with the rail industry and local authorities to co-ordinate the transport strategy for this event.

CABINET OFFICE

Admiralty Arch: Admiralty House

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what the cost to the public purse has been of any damage to the Admiralty House residences since May 2010;
	(2)  what catering services his Department has provided to the Secretary of State for Defence on a re-charge basis in respect of use of a flat in Admiralty House;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 618W on Admiralty Arch: Admiralty House, for what reason the Secretary of State for Defence has use of a flat in Admiralty House; on what date his use of the flat began; what expenditure his Department has incurred in relation to the flat since May 2010; and for what purposes.

Francis Maude: There has been no cost to the public purse of damage to the Admiralty House residences since May 2010. Any catering services provided by the Cabinet Office's facilities management contractor to the occupants of Admiralty House are recharged. Official residences are assigned to Ministers by the Prime Minister either on grounds of security or in order to allow them to perform better their official duties. The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox), had use of a flat in Admiralty House from 20 April 2011. Other than meeting the cost of the council tax while it was unoccupied, and a deep clean prior to occupation, the Cabinet Office has not incurred any expenditure in relation to the flat since May 2010.

Charitable Donations: Fraud

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the financial effect on the charity sector of each type of fraudulent charity collection.

Nick Hurd: The Office for Civil Society has not attempted to estimate the financial cost to charities as a result of fraudulent charity collections due to a lack of reliable data, and because records are not kept centrally. Sector estimates put the cost to charities of bogus house to house collections and theft of donated goods at anything between £15 million and £50 million a year. I continue to encourage and support collaborative work between the charity sector, commercial recyclers, and licensing and enforcement agencies to tackle these unacceptable crimes and reassure the generous donating public that they can give with confidence.

Charitable Incorporated Organisation Structure

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the new charitable incorporated organisation structure will be announced.

Nick Hurd: The draft Secondary Legislation needed to complete the legal framework for the Charitable Incorporated Organisation is currently being finalised. This is taking longer than expected, as there have been some complex issues to resolve on the insolvency and dissolution regime for CIOs.
	Subject to parliamentary approval, implementation is now expected to start in early 2012. Implementation will have to be phased to help the Charity Commission manage anticipated demand. An announcement will be made in due course.

Charities Act 2006

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations he has received on the implementation of Part 3 of the Charities Act 2006; and if he will publish these representations.

Nick Hurd: Chapters 2 and 3 of part 3 of the Charities Act 2006 have been implemented. However, chapter 1, which makes provision for the regulation of public charitable collections, has not yet been implemented. I have received a number of representations from Members of this House, charity sector representatives and local licensing authorities, arguing both for and against implementation. I do not intend to publish these as I have publicly stated that the review of the Charities Act 2006, due to start shortly, will consider the options for the future licensing and regulation of public charitable collections.

Charities Act 2006

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he plans to consult the civil society sector on the development of terms of reference under the Charities Act 2006.

Nick Hurd: There will not be a formal consultation with the civil society sector on the development of the terms of reference for the review of the Charities Act 2006. Our intention is that the review's terms of reference will give it a broad scope to consider the legal and regulatory framework for charities, and fundraising for charitable purposes. An announcement about the review will be made shortly.

Charities: Finance

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking in respect of street fundraisers.

Nick Hurd: The licensing and regulation of charitable, philanthropic or benevolent fundraising in the street will be considered as part of the forthcoming statutory review of the Charities Act 2006. An announcement about the review will be made shortly.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office uses Carlson Wagon Lit (CWT) as the travel management company for booking airline tickets.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department’s chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department’s chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years;
	(3)  how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department’s chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office does not have a departmental scientific adviser.
	The Government’s chief scientific adviser (GCSA), Sir John Beddington, has responsibility for ensuring that policy and decision-making across Government are underpinned by robust scientific evidence.
	Part of this role coincides with the cross-Government work of the Cabinet Office in that the GCSA:
	Provides scientific advice to No. 10 and Cabinet where needed;
	Normally chairs the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which provides scientific advice to the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) in times of crisis;
	Chairs the National Security Council Officials’ Science and Technology sub-committee (NSC(O)S&T).
	The GCSA also has oversight of other cross-Government science issues. For example, the scrutiny of the scientific evidence underpinning the National Risk Assessment (NRA), which is owned by responsible Departments and the Cabinet Office.
	Government Office for Science supports the GCSA and is located in the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills.

Departmental Consultants

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information his Department holds on the average daily rate paid to external consultants across central Government in each of the last five financial years.

Francis Maude: Last year the Government saved over £800 million on consultancy as a result of the controls they put in place. These controls currently remain and will be supported by a new centralised contract, currently being finalised for common consultancy roles, to improve the way central Government purchase consultancy.
	The Cabinet Office does not hold average day rates for consultancy across Government. Departments are responsible for their own purchasing of consultants because of the specific nature of individual requirements.

Departmental Disabled Staff

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people with disabilities were employed by each Government department in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people with disabilities were employed by each Government department in each of the last five years (72088).
	Civil Service Statistics are published annually by the Office for National Statistics on the ONS website. Civil Service Statistics seek to collect the disability status of every civil servant but government departments can only record individuals as 'disabled' if the individuals concerned have actively declared themselves so. Therefore, the estimates in the table show the number of people who have declared themselves to be disabled.
	A copy of the table has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office commissions external legal advisers in line with its policy guidance for the use of consultancy and other external resources.
	Complete information with regard to hourly rates and specific individuals appointed is not held centrally and is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Procurement

Owen Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the 10 largest suppliers of goods and services to his Department were in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11, measured in terms of the total monetary value of expenditure incurred; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) monetary value was of each contract with each such supplier.

Francis Maude: The 10 largest suppliers to the Cabinet Office by value in 2009-10 and 2010-11 are set out in the table.
	
		
			 Supplier Services supplied £ 
			 2009-10   
			 Ecovert FM Ltd Facilities management services 37,399,038 
			 British Broadcasting Corporation Media monitoring services 25,016,000 
			 Fujitsu Services Ltd IT and telecommunications services 9,587,589 
			 Steria UK Ltd Website hosting and managed services 8,321,558 
			 CESG Technical security consultancy services 5,300,364 
			 The Social Investment Business Grant fund administration services 4,951,114 
			 Capita Civil Service pension payroll services, medical advisory services, and temporary labour 4,888,317 
			 Ministry of Defence Telecommunications services 3,858,240 
			 Central Office of Information Media and marketing services 3,841,192 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Consultancy support to Civil Service Pension Transformation programme 2,806,681 
			    
			 2010-11   
			 Ecovert FM Ltd Facilities management services 31,261,282 
			 British Broadcasting Corporation Media monitoring services 25,624,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Fujitsu Services Ltd IT and telecommunications services 13,976,450 
			 Department for Work and Pensions Employee and financial transaction services and Civil Service pension administration services 8,970,243 
			 Ministry of Defence Telecommunications services 6,348,057 
			 Steria UK Ltd Website hosting and managed services 5,379,833 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Consultancy support to Civil Service Pension Transformation programme 4,656,083 
			 Central Office of Information Media and marketing services 3,864,210 
			 The Social Investment Business Grant fund administration services 3,003,193 
			 Parity Solutions Ltd Recruitment services 2,217,263 
		
	
	Information relating to the total monetary value of each contract may be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Procurement

Maria Eagle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the merits of including socio-economic considerations in public procurement tenders.

Francis Maude: Public sector procurers are required to assess value for money from the perspective of the contracting authority using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract, including compliance with the published specification.
	Wider socio-economic benefits that do not accrue to the contracting authority cannot be taken into account at tender evaluation stage as they do not relate to the subject matter of a contract from the point of view of the contracting authority.
	However, there is currently a review of public procurement under way, which is examining UK application of EU procurement rules. The review will consider any actions the Government need to take to help ensure that UK businesses can compete for Government work on an equal footing with their competitors.

Employment: Private and Public Sector

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many private sector jobs were created in each month in the last two years in each parliamentary constituency in the UK;
	(2)  what proportion of employment was in the public sector in each parliamentary constituency in (a) June 2010 and (b) June 2011;
	(3)  what the rates of unemployment were in the 100 parliamentary constituencies with the greatest level of public sector employment in each of the last 18 months.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many private sector jobs were created in each month in the last two years in each parliamentary constituency (72023); what proportion of employment was public sector employment in each parliamentary constituency in (a) June 2010 and (b) June 2011 (72032); and what the rates of unemployment were in the hundred parliamentary constituencies with the greatest level of public sector employment in each of the last 18 months. (72039)
	Due to small sample sizes, estimates of the number of private sector jobs created are not available for parliamentary constituencies.
	Table 1 shows the percentage of public sector employment in each parliamentary constituency, from the Annual Population Survey (APS), for the latest available period (January 2010 to December 2010) and for 12 months earlier. Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey.
	Table 2 shows the unemployment rate in the 100 parliamentary constituencies with the highest level of public sector employment (based on the January 2010 to December 2010 period) for each period from the twelve month period July 2008 to June 2009 to the latest available period.
	As the information requested is quite extensive, a copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Financial Services: Manpower

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate has been made of the number of jobs in the financial sector in each quarter since 2007.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority, I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question concerning the number of jobs in the financial sector in each quarter since 2007. (72730)
	The following table contains the seasonally adjusted number of UK workforce jobs in the financial sector in each quarter since 2007. Workforce jobs include employee jobs, self-employed jobs and government-supported trainees. Quarterly estimates since 1978 are available at
	www.ons.gov.uk
	
		
			 United Kingdom 
			 Seasonally adjusted (thousand) 
			  Total workforce jobs in SIC2007 section K; financial and insurance activities 
			 2007 Q1 1,162.3 
			 2007 Q2 1,168.5 
			 2007 Q3 1,169.1 
			 2007 Q4 1,174.2 
			 2008 Q1 1,190.8 
			 2008 Q2 1,189.0 
			 2008 Q3 1,194.0 
			 2008 Q4 1,194.4 
			 2009 Q1 1,192.9 
		
	
	
		
			 2009 Q2 1,180.0 
			 2009 Q3 1,136.1 
			 2009 Q4 1,133.3 
			 2010 Q1 1,095.1 
			 2010 Q2 1,125.2 
			 2010 Q3 1,135.3 
			 2010 Q4 1,136.3 
			 2011 Q1 1,138.8 
			 2011 Q2 1,125.1 
			 Source: Business Statistics Division, ONS

Immigration

George Freeman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the level of immigration from outside the EU was (a) by country of origin, (b) by continent of origin and (c) in total in each of the last 10 months; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the level of immigration from outside the EU was (a) by country of origin, (b) by continent of origin and (c) in total in each of the last 10 months; and if he will make a statement (72288).
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) uses the International Passenger Survey (IPS) to estimate flows of international migrants into and out of the United Kingdom. The IPS is a sample survey and cannot provide monthly estimates of migration.
	The latest annual long-term international migration estimates by citizenship and country of last/next residence relate to calendar year 2009; these are available on the ONS website in the 3 Series IPS tables (3.01) by using the following link:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-228078

Marriage Certificates: Wales

Hywel Williams: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many marriage certificates were issued in Wales in each of the last three years; and how many and what proportion were in the English only format.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	.
	The table below shows the number of marriages registered in Wales between 2006 and 2008, the latest year for which figures are available. The table also shows the number and percentage of these in which the information has been entered in both the English and Welsh languages.
	
		
			 Table 1  :   Bilingual and English only marriage registrations in Wales, 2006-08 
			   Bilingual registrations English only registrations 
			  Number of marriages registered Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 2006 13,483 470 3.5 13,013 96.5 
			 2007 12,884 483 3.7 12,401 96.3 
			 2008 12,925 520 4.0 12,405 96.0 
			 Source: Office for National Statistics. 
		
	
	Once a marriage has been registered, it is possible to purchase one or more certified copies (certificates) of the register entry. These will be an exact copy of the information as recorded in the entry. A central record of the number of such certificates issued locally across Wales is not compiled.

Public Sector: Manpower

Ian Austin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many people were employed in the public sector in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Dudley borough in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many people were employed in a (a) full-time capacity and (b) a part-time capacity in the public sector in (i) the West Midlands and (ii) Dudley borough in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people were employed in the public sector in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Dudley Borough in each of the last three years; and how many people were employed in a (a) full-time capacity and (b) a part-time capacity in the public sector in (i) the West Midlands and (ii) Dudley Borough in each of the last three years. (72545 & 72546)
	Public Sector employment statistics for local areas can be calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS). Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey.
	Table 1 shows the number of persons employed in the public sector, broken down by part-time and full-time, resident in the West Midlands and Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. The figures have been provided from the APS for the 12 month periods ending in December from 2008 to 2010, the latest period for which figures are available.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of the resident population of West Midlands and Dudley employed in the public sector by full-time and part-time 
			 Level (Thousand) 
			  West Midlands Dudley 
			  Full-time Part-time Total Full-time Part-time Total 
			 12 months ending December       
			 2008 398 181 579 22 10 32 
			 2009 414 188 602 26 11 36 
			 2010 *391 *192 *583 ***26 ***9 **35 
			 Note:  Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below.  Guide to Quality:  The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220  Key:   * 0 ≤ CV<5—Estimates are considered precise  ** 5 ≤ CV <10—Estimates are considered reasonably precise  *** 10 ≤ CV <20—Estimates are considered acceptable  **** CV ≥ 20—Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source:  Annual Population Survey.

Unemployment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the unemployment rate is for (a) professional managers and senior officials, (b) skilled workers and (c) unskilled workers.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the unemployment rate is for (a) professional managers and senior officials, (b) skilled workers and (c) unskilled workers.
	For the period April-June 2011 the UK unemployment rate for people previously employed as a corporate manager, director or senior official was an estimated 3 per cent. The unemployment rate for people previously employed in skilled and unskilled occupations was an estimated 5 per cent and 12 per cent respectively. In each case, the unemployment rate has been based on a denominator comprising the sum of all those currently employed in the occupational group and all those unemployed who reported that their previous job was in that group.
	Estimates for unemployment are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) with previous occupation based on the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). The structure of the SOC allows the measurement of 'skill levels' for occupations that are similar in terms of qualification, training, skill and experience.
	In accordance with the International Labour Organization (ILO) convention, people are classed as unemployed if they are: without a job, and have actively sought work in the last four weeks; or, out of work, have found a job and are waiting to start it in the next two weeks.

TREASURY

11 Downing Street: Official Hospitality

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) official and (b) charity receptions he has held at 11 Downing street in 2010-11; and what the (i) date and (ii) cost to the public purse was of each.

Justine Greening: There have been more than 20 receptions held for charities in the last 16 months hosted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Ministers.
	There has been no cost to the public purse for any reception held at No. 11.

Bank of England: Public Appointments

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the possibility of re-appointment to the post of Governor of the Bank of England for a second term.

Mark Hoban: Schedule 1 of The Bank of England Act' 1998 states that appointment as Governor or Deputy Governor of the Bank shall be for a period of five years. The current Governor, appointed in 2003, is on his second term in office. The Bank of England Act 1998, as amended by the Banking Act 2009, provides that a person may not be appointed as Governor more than twice.

Bank of England: Public Appointments

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to enhance pre-appointment scrutiny of members of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England by the House of Commons.

Justine Greening: The Treasury Select Committee (TSC) conducts pre-commencement hearings of members of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. These hearings take place after appointments have been made, but before members start work.
	The Government consider appointments for MPC members as market sensitive and therefore not appropriate for pre-appointment scrutiny.

Bristol and West: Shares

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make representations to the Irish government on the position of UK holders of Bristol and West Permanent Interest Bearing Shares; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 6 September 2011, Official Report, column 342W.

Business

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contribution of non-EU based businesses in the (a) financial and (b) insurance sector to the UK's total GDP in each of the last five years.

Mark Hoban: The data breakdown required to provide estimates of the contribution of non-EU based businesses in the financial and insurance sectors to the UK's total GDP is not available. However we are able to provide estimates of the contribution of the Financial Intermediation—which includes both the financial and insurance sectors—sector to GDP over each of the last five years.
	In 2009 Financial Intermediation represented 10.0% of nominal Gross Value Added; in 2008 it represented 9.0%; in 2007 it represented 8.3%; in 2006 it represented 7.7%; and in 2005 it represented 7.1%.

CF Arch Cru Investment Fund

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason he has not established an inquiry under Section 14 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 in respect of the CF Arch Cru Investment Fund.

Mark Hoban: In relation to Arch Cru funds, Capita Financial Managers Limited (CFM) announced that "The FSA will, in due course, be publishing a statement of its findings in relation to CFM's role regarding the Arch Cru funds". The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is continuing to look at the issues surrounding the Arch Cru funds and while the FSA's work is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for the Government to make any further comment on this issue or commit to taking any action as a result.

Charity Bank

Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the permanent site of the headquarters of the Charity Bank in Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	I have not received any representations on locating the big society bank in Cardiff, but I have recently visited Wales to discuss social investment and promote the bank there.
	It is for Big Society Capital to choose where it locates its headquarters.

Child Benefit

Andrew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many individuals will be affected by the proposed withdrawal of child benefit for claimants or their partners liable to pay higher rate tax are women;
	(2)  in how many cases of those affected by the proposed withdrawal of child benefit for claimants or their partners liable to pay higher rate income tax (a) the child benefit claimant only, (b) the partner of the child benefit claimant only and (c) both the child benefit claimant and their partner are liable to pay higher rate income tax.

David Gauke: Child benefit is paid to an individual claimant on behalf of the child, and not for the personal benefit of the claimant. Child benefit will be withdrawn from families where the claimant, or their partner (with whom they are living) is a higher rate taxpayer.
	Around 1.5 million families are affected. Around 1.3 million affected families contain one higher rate taxpayer and around 130,000 affected families contain two higher rate taxpayers. Around 55,000 of the affected families are lone-parent families. Of these, around 35,000 are female and around 20,000 are male.

Child Benefit

Andrew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to treat the savings from the proposed withdrawal of child benefit for claimants or their partners liable to pay higher rate tax as (a) a reduction in tax revenue or (b) a saving in public expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: Consistent with the ONS’s advice, table 2.2 of Budget 2011 shows the savings as a spending reduction, available at:
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_complete.pdf

Cluster Munitions

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with representatives of (a) Royal Bank of Scotland and (b) Lloyds on investments in companies that produce cluster munitions; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Government's shareholdings in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) are managed on a commercial and arm's length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI), a company which is wholly owned by the Government.
	UKFI's role is to manage the Government's investments, not to manage the banks—the banks retain their own independent boards and management teams to manage the banks commercially without interference from shareholders.
	Both publicly-owned banks have issued denials that they knowingly support or provide finance to companies who manufacture weapons that would be in breach of the convention. RBS has publicly stated that it will not knowingly support or provide finance to companies who manufacture weapons that would be in breach of the letter or the spirit of the convention.

Coastal Communities Fund: Scotland

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on their involvement in the allocation of the Coastal Communities Fund.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 15 September 2011
	I have had no such discussions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. The Scottish Government will be fully consulted as the Government take forward the Coastal Communities Fund.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets;
	(2)  what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Justine Greening: HM Treasury has used Carlson Wagonlit Travel since 2007 for the purchase of airline tickets. The contract with Carlson Wagonlit Travel requires the supplier to continually source and negotiate improved fares on behalf of HM Treasury. The supplier is also required to provide the Department with monthly management information on the savings they have achieved for the Department.
	HM Treasury employees are required to book travel in accordance with the Departments Travel and Subsistence policy which advises on booking travel in the most cost-effective way.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years;
	(3)  how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

Justine Greening: Dr James Richardson has been chief scientific adviser (CSA) at HM Treasury since the post was established in June 2011. His salary is notified through the usual public disclosure provisions for the SCS. It is between £85,000 and £90,000.
	There are no specific resources reserved exclusively to support the CSA, but resources are drawn on from across the Treasury for work arising from the post as appropriate.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

Justine Greening: HM Treasury is committed to handling all scientific evidence and advice in accordance with the “Government Social Research Code” and the Government chief scientific adviser's “Guidelines on the use of science and engineering advice in policy making”.
	Scientific evidence and advice may be used to support material submitted by other Departments and agencies to HM Treasury, but in the usual course of its business HM Treasury does not independently contract research or advice on scientific matters. HMT has no formal requirement that a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice must be provided to contracted scientific advisers. The usual provisions that relate to a wider range of procurements do apply.

Departmental Disclosure of Information

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has issued guidance and instructions to Cabinet colleagues regarding the sign-off and agreement of policy announcements over the party conference season; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such guidance;
	(2)  when he plans to answer question 68179 on policy announcements during the party conference season tabled on 18 July 2011 for answer on 5 September.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The Treasury and Cabinet Office have issued joint guidance setting out the timetables and processes for obtaining any necessary approvals or collective agreement ahead of party conferences, in line with the rules set out in the Cabinet Manual and “Managing public money”.

Departmental Job Satisfaction

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how often his Department conducts a staff survey; and if he will place a copy of the report of the most recent staff survey in the Library.

Justine Greening: HM Treasury runs an annual staff survey every autumn as part of the cross-government Civil Service People Survey. The most recent survey was held in autumn 2010; the results for HM Treasury are available on the HM Treasury website. A summary of the results has been placed in the Library following this request.

Departmental Magazine Press

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department produces a staff magazine; and with what frequency.

Justine Greening: HM Treasury does not produce a staff magazine.

Departmental Training

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) seminars, (b) workshops and (c) exhibitions were held by the human resources team in his Department in 2010-11.

Justine Greening: In 2010-11, alongside a programme of formal training events, staff from HM Treasury's human resources team ran a number of regular informal internal seminars and workshops for Treasury staff on a range of subjects including health and wellbeing, recruitment and pay. No exhibitions took place in that time.

Departmental Written Questions

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what deadlines his Department's Parliamentary Unit normally sets for the receipt of draft answers to (a) written parliamentary questions for answer on a named day and (b) other written parliamentary questions from officials.

Justine Greening: Treasury Ministers endeavour to answer questions within the timescales set by the House of Commons. This determines the date by which officials are asked to prepare draft replies.

Departmental Written Questions

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in the last 12 months he has circulated guidance to other Departments relating to answers to round-robin written parliamentary questions.

Justine Greening: In their response to the Third Report of Session 2003-04 from the Public Administration Select Committee, the previous Government made clear that while individual Departments may liaise with each other when they receive the same question, this co-ordination:
	“does not cut across the line of ministerial accountability which is that it is for individual Ministers to decide on the final content of an answer to a Parliamentary Question.”
	The Treasury has provided advice to other Government Departments on this basis.

Departmental Written Questions

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written parliamentary questions his Department has taken longer than 10 days to answer in the current Session.

Justine Greening: Treasury Ministers responded within 10 days to 3,727 of the 4,084 (91.3%) written questions tabled to the Treasury since the beginning of the current session.
	The Leader of the House provides the Procedure Committee with Sessional statistics about all Departments’ performance in providing written answers.

Economic Policy

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to include an assessment of the Government's fiscal consolidation as part of his strategy for economic growth.

Justine Greening: The Government created the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in June 2010, bringing independence, greater transparency and credibility to the economic and fiscal forecasts upon which fiscal policy is based.
	The Chancellor has announced that the OBR will publish the next Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 29 November 2011.

Economic Situation: International Cooperation

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his US counterpart during the recent G7 summit on supporting global economic growth and stability.

Justine Greening: The Chancellor is in regular contact with his G7 partners (including the US) to discuss a range of issues, including the global economy. The global economy was discussed at the Marseille G7 meeting, where Ministers and Governors committed to a strong and coordinated international response to maintain financial stability, restore confidence and support growth.

Energy: Prices

Albert Owen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had with representatives of the six largest energy companies to discuss electricity and gas prices in 2011 to date.

Justine Greening: holding answer 13 September 2011
	Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Equitable Life: Compensation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons he has not used his statutory powers under the Policyholders Protection Act 1997 to require the insurance industry to contribute to restoring the losses of Equitable Life policyholders.

Mark Hoban: The Equitable Life Payment Scheme has been set up in recognition of losses suffered by Equitable Life policyholders as a result of Government maladministration. It would not be appropriate to require the insurance industry to contribute to the cost of this.

Equitable Life: Compensation

Henry Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider further compensation for Equitable Life policy holders to take account of inflation since 2009.

Mark Hoban: Payments will be made in accordance with the profile set out at the spending review settlement—with £1 billion allocated to the scheme in the first three years of this spending review—and the Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments' recommendations on the prioritisation of payments.
	Payments will be free of UK income tax, capital gains tax, or (in the case of companies) corporation tax. More detail on how this will apply across the tax system, including inheritance tax and tax credits, is set out in the Scheme rules, available at:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/docs/pdfs/elps_main_doc_final.pdf

Excise Duties: Fuels

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will assess the effects of road fuel duty on small businesses; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the level of taxation on (a) diesel and (b) unleaded petrol on the standard of living of (A) job seekers and (B) pensioners; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has held with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in respect of the effects on rural businesses of the cost of petrol; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the effects of the removal of the bio-diesel duty differential on achieving the Government’s targets for green energy usage; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  if he will assess the effects of the volatility of the price of fuel on the economic growth of small businesses; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: Small businesses including those in rural areas are affected by a range of measures to tackle the deficit and support growth including fuel duty and other policy measures. From April the small profits rate of corporation tax reduced to 20%. Budget 2011 added to this by extending the small business rate relief holiday by one year from 1 October 2011. Businesses may reclaim VAT and deduct other business costs including fuel costs under existing business tax arrangements.
	The Government’s taxation decisions including on fuel duty support their objective to achieve strong, sustainable growth. Budget 2011 reduced fuel duty by 1 penny per litre, abolished the fuel duty escalator and replaced it with a fair fuel stabiliser. As of 1 April 2011, small businesses, job seekers and pensioners could have benefited from average pump prices being 6 pence per litre lower as a result of these changes compared to the previous Government’s fuel duty plans.
	Treasury Ministers routinely discuss a range of issues with Cabinet colleagues.

Financial Institutions: Hearing Impaired

Jim Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken, and what further steps he plans to take, to assist British Sign Language users to communicate with financial institutions (a) in person, (b) by telephone and (c) by other electronic means.

Mark Hoban: As part of its implementation of the European Framework on Electronic Communications, Government are supporting deaf, deaf/blind and hard of hearing telecoms users by pursuing the duty for businesses and organisations to provide suitable access to equivalent services and products for disabled users through the eAccessibility Forum, which draws together Government, industry and the voluntary sector to explore and understand issues of e-accessibility and develop and share best practice across all sectors.
	Ofcom is currently conducting a review of the adequacy of relay services for people with hearing difficulties in the UK, to assess whether existing provisions provide equivalent access.
	To complement Ofcom's review of future relay services in the UK, one of the eAccessibility Forums work streams is looking at ways we can improve the present use of text relay service in the UK. Lloyds Banking Group as well as BT, The Employers forum for Disability Issues, The Post Office, and the Motability Contact Centre are working with the forum to improve the level of service provided by just not only financial institutions but businesses and organisations alike.
	The Equality Act 2010 also requires companies providing services to make reasonable adjustments for those customers with disabilities, including customers with hearing difficulties.

Financial Services

Mark Garnier: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many claims for compensation in respect of the NDF Administration Fixed Income Plan June 2008 submitted to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and assessed by a subcontractor, were successful in receiving compensation on the (a) first, (b) second, (c) third and (d) fourth attempt;
	(2)  how many claims for compensation in respect of the NDF Administration Fixed Income Plan June 2008 submitted to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme since 2008 were assessed by a subcontractor; and how many of these were (a) approved and (b) rejected;
	(3)  how many applications for compensation in respect of the NDF Administration Fixed Income Plan June 2008 the Financial Services Compensation Scheme has received since 2008;
	(4)  what the highest number of claims is for compensation received by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme from one applicant in respect of the NDF Administration Fixed Income Plan June 2008;
	(5)  how many applications to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme for compensation in respect of the NDF Administration Fixed Income Plan June 2008 were successful on the (a) first, (b) second, (c) third and (d) fourth attempt;
	(6)  whether secondary, tertiary and additional applications for compensation in respect of the NDF Administration Fixed Income Plan June 2008, submitted to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and assessed by a subcontractor but unsuccessful on the first attempt were sent to the same subcontractor for consideration on subsequent occasions; and by what mechanism applications were divided between FSCS and subcontractors.

Mark Hoban: This is a matter for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which as a non-Government body administers the scheme independently from Government. I have written to the chief executive of FSCS, asking him to reply directly.

Immigration: Students

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding the potential impact of reforms to the student immigration system on (a) growth and (b) the fiscal position.

Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers hold regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such discussions

Inflation: Annuities

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effect of inflation on the annuities market.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 9 September 2011
	No recent assessment has been made of the effect of inflation on the annuities market.
	For those who decide to use their pension to purchase an annuity, shopping around for the best rate may increase their income. In particular, there are higher rates available for smokers and people with health conditions, so they should check whether a better deal is available elsewhere before accepting their provider's offer.
	Those who are worried that rising inflation may reduce the purchasing power of their annuity income can consider purchasing an index-linked annuity. This product would adjust their income in line with inflation thereby providing protection against future price rises.

Insurance: Unfair Practices

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department holds on the average waiting time for resolution of complaints by the Financial Services Ombudsman for cases involving the mis-selling of payment protection insurance.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is operationally independent of Government. According to their annual review, 41% of all complaints (including payment protection insurance (PPI)) were settled within three months, 70% within six months, 81% within nine months and 87% within 12 months. Their latest published quarterly figures show that they received 56,025 new cases about PPI between April and June 2011. HM Treasury does not hold more detailed information on waiting times than the data the FOS publishes.
	There is currently a large number of PPI complaints at the FOS due to a build-up of claims following the banks’ earlier refusal to deal with cases during the British Bankers’ Association’s judicial review of the FSA and the FOS’s approach to PPI. The FOS is currently working closely with the banks to ensure cases can be resolved as soon as possible.

Judiciary

Roger Gale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the funding of the proposal to televise aspects of the work of the judiciary; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers hold regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practise to provide details of all such discussions.

Loans: Greece

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that the Government will provide no additional public sector support to the Government of Greece in the event that that country seeks further financial assistance.

Mark Hoban: The international financial assistance package for Greece agreed in May 2010 included a €30 billion loan from the international Monetary Fund and €80 billion of bilateral loans from euro area member states. There was no contribution either from the EU Budget or from the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism, which is backed by the EU Budget.
	The Prime Minister secured agreement at the June European Council that the EU-wide European Financial Stability Mechanism (EFSM) would not be used in a second assistance package for Greece.

Members: Correspondence

Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Exchequer Secretary plans to respond to the letters of (a) 27 January 2011 and (b) 15 April 2011 from the hon. Member for Weaver Vale on behalf of Mr John Reilly.

David Gauke: I have replied to my hon. Friend.
	I also replied to the same inquiry forwarded by my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O'Brien).

Members: Correspondence

Michael Crockart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Complaints Manager, HMRC Customer Operations Complaints Service, Queensway House, East Kilbride to respond to the Member for Edinburgh West's letters of 1 August 2011 and 25 August 2011 regarding Mrs D E Cooper.

David Gauke: A member of the Complaints Team at East Kilbride replied to the letter of 1 August 2011 by telephone on 8 August 2011.
	The Complaints Manager at East Kilbride replied to the letter of 25 August 2011 on 2 September 2011.
	These letters were responded to within the Department's 15 working days target.

Mortgages: Northern Ireland

William McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mortgage repossessions have taken place in Northern Ireland since autumn 2008.

Mark Hoban: The Council of Mortgage Lenders and the Financial Services Authority collect data on repossessions across the UK. There are no specific repossessions data for Northern Ireland. The Ministry of Justice collects data on writs and summonses for possessions in Northern Ireland. There have been 11,035 since August 2008. The number fell 13% from 2009 to 2010.

National Insurance Contributions

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of extending the national insurance holiday scheme to apply to one additional employee taken on by existing businesses with four or fewer members of staff;
	(2)  how many new businesses in Newton Abbot constituency have benefited under the national insurance holiday scheme.

David Gauke: holding answer 15 September 2011
	A reliable estimate of the potential cost of extending the national insurance contributions (NICs) holiday to existing micro businesses who employ one additional member of staff is not available due to data limitations.
	The Government have considered the case for extending the NICs holiday to all existing micro businesses but believe the best use of public funds at this time is to keep the NICs holiday as a targeted scheme for those areas in most need of employment support.
	A breakdown of successful applications for the NICs holiday by constituency will be published in the NICs Holiday Factsheet in the House of Commons Library in the autumn.

National Insurance Contributions

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time jobs were created in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales, (iv) Northern Ireland and (v) each parliamentary constituency as a result of the temporary waiver from employer's national insurance contributions for the hiring of new employees in each month since the introduction of that waiver.

David Gauke: A breakdown of the number of jobs that have been supported by the NICs holiday, by region and constituency, will be published in the NICs Holiday Factsheet in the House of Commons Library in the autumn.
	Due to data limitations the factsheet will not differentiate between full-time and part-time jobs that have been supported by the policy.

National Insurance Contributions: Devizes

Claire Perry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Devizes constituency have benefited from the National insurance contributions holiday scheme to date.

David Gauke: A breakdown of successful applications for the NICs holiday by constituency will be published in the NICs Holiday Factsheet in the House of Commons Library in the autumn.

National Insurance Contributions: New Businesses

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for the national insurance holiday scheme had been (a) received and (b) approved in each region as at 13 September 2011.

David Gauke: A breakdown of successful applications for the NICs holiday by region will be published in the NICs holiday factsheet in the House of Commons Library in the autumn.

Oil: Prices

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of recent trends in oil prices on (a) the UK's public finances, (b) the UK economy and (c) inflation.

Justine Greening: The Government consider a range of factors when assessing prospects for the economy and public finances.
	The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts. The OBR published an ‘Assessment of the Effect of Oil Price Fluctuations on the Public Finances’ in September 2010, which is available online at:
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/wordpress/docs/assessment_oilprice_publicfinances.pdf
	The Chancellor has asked the OBR to publish a new economic and fiscal forecast on 29 November.

Pensions: Tax Allowances

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account he will take of the effects of tax relief on pension contributions in considering the future of the 50% rate of income tax.

David Gauke: The Chancellor takes all relevant factors into account when making decisions on tax rates, including any decision on the 50% rate of income tax.
	The Chancellor made clear in his Budget 2011 speech that the 50% rate is a temporary measure. In an age when business, capital and people are increasingly mobile, high tax rates send a negative signal to those looking to work and invest in the UK.
	The Chancellor has asked HM Revenue and Customs to assess the revenue from the 50% rate of income tax. As I outlined in debates around the 2011 Finance Bill, HMRC will consider all available evidence on the impact of the 50% rate including data from 2010-11 self-assessment returns which will become available next year.

Personal Taxation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of monthly earnings is paid in taxes on average by persons in each income decile.

David Gauke: Estimates of the proportion of earnings paid in income tax and employee national insurance contributions by hypothetical earners at the mid percentile point of each decile of the employee earnings distribution in 2011-12 are set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Position in earnings distribution  Percentage earnings 
			 Percentile point Gross earnings  (1 )  (£ per month) Income tax  (2) Employee NICs  (2) Income tax and employee NICs  (2) 
			 5 338 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 15 744 3.3 2.3 5.6 
			 25 1,109 8.8 5.5 14.3 
			 35 1,396 11.1 6.8 17.9 
			 45 1,671 12.5 7.7 20.2 
			 55 1,981 13.7 8.4 22.1 
			 65 2,351 14.7 8.9 23.6 
			 75 2,807 15.6 9.4 25.0 
			 85 3,461 16.4 9.9 26.3 
			 95 5,145 23.8 7.5 31.3 
			 (1) Decile mid percentile points show gross monthly earnings for all employees, based on Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings data to April 2010 (Great Britain), projected to 2011-12 using earnings growth assumptions consistent with the OBR's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook. (2) Calculation based on an individual aged under 65 paying employee NICs (not contracted out).

Planning: Costs

Jack Dromey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the oral answer of 6 September 2011, Official Report, column 170, on planning costs, what evidence his Department holds that shows planning costs in Britain are among the highest in the world; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such evidence.

Justine Greening: The Plan for Growth published in March 2011 sets out the costs imposed by the planning system on business and the wider economy, and the actions the Government are taking to create a planning system that makes the right land available in the right places to deliver the commercial development, vital infrastructure and housing that the country needs while ensuring development is sustainable.

Pocket Lighters: Import Controls

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether customs officers are instructed to seize at UK ports of entry pocket lighters which do not conform to EU and UK safety standards;
	(2)  what information HM Revenue and Customs holds on the number of pocket lighters entering the UK which do not comply with the safety standards in Commission Decision 2006/502/EC.

Damian Green: I have been asked to reply.
	HM Revenue and Customs and the UK Border Agency have no statutory powers at UK points of entry to seize pocket lighters and other non-food consumer products that do not conform to EU or UK safety standards.
	UK product safety legislation assigns safety compliance checks at points of entry and elsewhere in the UK to local authorities acting in their statutory role as a market surveillance authority.
	HM Revenue and Customs and UK Border Agency have powers to detain any suspect consignments and inform the relevant market surveillance authority, but their records do not hold information on the number of pocket lighters entering the UK which do not comply with the safety standards in Commission Decision 2006/502/EC.
	Records of enforcement action taken on non compliant goods detected at UK points of entry are maintained locally by UK market surveillance authorities.

Public Finance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the UK's credit rating.

Mark Hoban: Standard and Poor’s placed the UK’s AAA sovereign rating on negative outlook on 21 May 2009. In recognition of the Coalition Government’s plan to tackle the deficit, and the decisions announced in the October 2010 spending review, Standard & Poor’s later revised up its UK outlook from negative to stable on 26 October 2010. All three of the major credit rating agencies have affirmed the UK’s triple-A sovereign credit rating with a stable outlook. Most recently in June, Moody's stated,
	“The stable outlook on the UK’s AAA rating is largely driven by the Government’s commitment to stabilise and eventually reverse the deterioration in its financial strength.”

Revenue and Customs: Leicester

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many unopened letters there are in HM Revenue and Customs processing offices in Leicester.

David Gauke: There are no unopened letters in HM Revenue and Customs processing offices in Leicester.
	All inbound post is opened and date stamped with the date of receipt.

Revenue and Customs: Manpower

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 818W, on Revenue and Customs: labour turnover, how many officers of Revenue and Customs he expects HM Revenue and Customs to recruit in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; and how many of these he expects to be deployed to work on compliance functions in each year.

David Gauke: I have interpreted 'Officers of Revenue and Customs' as staff of all grades recruited externally who will be working on compliance functions, rather than the literal translation of staff at 'officer' grade.
	In addition, as the CST announced this year, an additional 2,250 HMRC staff will move into new anti-evasion and avoidance jobs.
	Our only planned external recruitment will be the annual graduate intake for people on our Grade 7 Tax Development Programme.
	Our plan is to bring 210 people on to the programme starting in September 2012. All of them will be engaged on compliance work. Nominations are invited from existing staff as well as external graduates so it is impossible to say how many new recruits will be joining HMRC.
	Our work force plans are not developed to a point that enables me to provide a number for subsequent programmes at this time.

Sports: Clubs

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what consideration he has given to applying the Gift Aid scheme to junior membership subscriptions paid to community amateur sports clubs; and what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of such a change;
	(2)  if he will consider the merits of extending the Community Amateur Sports Club scheme to include clubs with semi-professional players;
	(3)  what his policy is on establishing incentives for commercial organisations to donate to amateur sports clubs.

Justine Greening: The Sports and Recreation Alliance (SRA) produced a report in Spring 2011 recommending a number of changes to the Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) scheme. These recommendations include extending Gift Aid to junior membership subscriptions and allowing clubs with semi-professional players to register as CASCs.
	I have asked officials to explore with the SRA all of the recommendations contained in their report. Changes to tax policy are announced at Budget.
	The Government are keen to encourage commercial organisations to donate to amateur sports clubs and there is a tax relief available for donations to clubs that are charities. No representations have been received to introduce further incentives for commercial organisations to donate to sports clubs.

Taxation

Matthew Offord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for tax simplification.

David Gauke: The Chancellor is committed to the ongoing process of simplifying the tax system. He set up the independent Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) last year, and has responded to their first review by announcing the abolition of 43 tax reliefs, and consulting on further abolitions. He has committed to improving HMRC's administration of IR35, and will examine reforms to integrate the operation of income tax and NICs. Further OTS reviews, to report before the 2012 Budget, are looking at pensioner taxation, approved employee share schemes and small .business tax issues, including disincorporation relief for small companies and a simpler income tax system for the smallest businesses.

Taxation: Business

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Time to Pay arrangements involving sums over (a) £1 million and (b) £5 million there have been in the last 12 months; and how many such arrangements have been subject to independent business reviews.

David Gauke: In the 12 months to August 2011 70 time to pay arrangements involving £1 million or more were agreed.
	HMRC are unable to provide details of those cases above £5 million as the small numbers involved may breach taxpayer confidentiality.
	In none of these 70 arrangements did we insist on an independent business review being prepared solely for HMRC.

Taxation: Foreign Companies

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects on the size of the tax gap of the decision by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to redeploy staff from the controlled foreign companies (CFC) legacy team; how many members of staff there were in that team before the redeployment; how many have been redeployed to other work areas; where within HMRC the work they were undertaking has been transferred; and how many revenue and customs officers are working on CFC compliance.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs considers that there has been no impact on the size of the tax gap from the decision to reorganise work on current controlled foreign company (CFC) inquiries by forming a new team to undertake this work. The time spent by the advisory and operational staff previously engaged on this work as part of their wider duties has been reallocated. The advisory staff are now contributing to work on CFC reform in addition to their other existing duties, while the operational staff are engaged in additional corporation tax compliance work. Detailed information about the varying extent of the range of individual staff members previously involved in the CFC inquiry work is not available. CFC compliance work is now undertaken both by the new team and more generally remains an area of interest to all operational staff dealing with the corporation tax of international groups.

Taxation: Personal Savings

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the progress on the revised EU Savings Tax Directive; what activities have been undertaken by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department on this directive; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The UK is disappointed that the amending savings tax directive has not yet been agreed by the Council, due to reservations by a small number of member states. The UK continues to call for early adoption of the draft directive.

Taxation: Sports

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what exemptions his Department has granted on liability to income tax attributable to income tax on (a) endorsement income, (b) prize money and (c) appearance money paid by non-UK resident sporting performers in each of the last five financial years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the level of revenue to the Exchequer attributable to income tax on (a) endorsement income, (b) prize money and (c) appearance money paid by non-UK resident sporting performers in each of the last five financial years;
	(3)  what his policy is on the exemption from liability to income tax on endorsement income paid to non-UK resident competitors in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games;
	(4)  what his policy is on the liability to corporation tax of international companies which set up a permanent establishment in the UK to perform work associated with organising the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games;
	(5)  if he will make an assessment of the costs to the Exchequer of the creation of exemptions for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games in respect of (a) corporation tax, (b) capital gains tax and (c) income tax withholdings on income paid to competitors and staff;
	(6)  what his policy is on the creation of exemptions for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games in respect of (a) corporation tax, (b) capital gains tax and (c) income tax withholdings on income paid to competitors and staff.

David Gauke: The Government’s policy is that exemptions to taxation have been considered for major sporting events only where the event represents the highest level of world sport and when provision of those exemptions is a pre-condition of a successful bid for an event. The Government will make an assessment of any future Exchequer impacts as part of any consideration it undertakes of applying the policy on concessions for major sporting events.
	Non-UK resident companies will only be chargeable to corporation tax in the UK if they trade through a permanent establishment. A temporary presence in the UK of not more than six months solely for the purpose of carrying on activities related to the major sporting event will not be treated as creating a permanent establishment in the UK.
	The Government have granted exemptions from UK taxation for sportspeople competing in the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final and the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. The exemptions covered income tax on appearance fees, prize money and endorsement income connected to performances at the event. The 2011 UEFA Champions League Final took place in the 2011-12 tax year, the London 2012 games will take place in the 2012-13 tax year.
	Revenue from visiting sports professionals is not distinguished from that of visiting foreign entertainers in HMRC records. The information requested could therefore be obtained only through the examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.

Trust Funds: Audit

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the performance of the auditors of (a) Capita Financial Managers Ltd and (b) the CF Arch Cru funds.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Services Authority. (FSA) is responsible for the regulation of financial services firms and operates independently from Government under the powers given to it in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. HM Treasury sets the legal framework for the regulation of financial services, but does not have investigative or prosecuting powers of its own.
	If the FSA were to have concerns over the performance of auditors, it would as a matter of general practice refer the case to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Tunisia: Economic Situation

Roger Gale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the funding pledged by the G8 for the purpose of assisting economic reforms in Tunisia to be provided.

Mark Hoban: Finance Ministers of the Deauville Partnership, including the G8 and representatives from the region, met in Marseille on 10 September 2011 to discuss the historical changes under way in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa, including Tunisia. Bilateral donors, including the G8, will work to align their support with the national strategies and priorities set out by the countries of the region.
	In May 2011, the Prime Minister announced increased support to the region, called the Arab Partnership, now worth £110 million between 2011 and 2013. This assistance is focused on those committed to reform, including Tunisia, where projects have already begun, for instance improving voter education.

VAT

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses were registered for value added tax in Ashfield constituency in each year since 1997.

David Gauke: The existing population of VAT-registered businesses and the number of businesses that registered for VAT during the year, for years since 1997,
	is shown for Ashfield in the following table:
	
		
			 Number 
			  Start of year stock Registrations during year 
			 1997 1,630 185 
			 1998 1,660 160 
			 1999 1,685 190 
			 2000 1,725 190 
			 2001 1,750 185 
			 2002 1,800 205 
			 2003 1,860 230 
			 2004 1,940 210 
			 2005 1,970 225 
			 2006 2,035 215 
			 2007 2,105 210 
			 2008 2,155 — 
		
	
	These figures came from the report ‘Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations', published by The Department for Businesses Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in November 2008. This report has now been discontinued and so registration and deregistration figures are available only up to 2007, and start of year stock figures are available only up to 2008.

VAT

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to increasing the turnover limits for VAT accounting to assist firms during adverse economic conditions.

David Gauke: The VAT registration threshold (the level of turnover below which a business does not have to register for VAT) was increased in the last Budget from £70,000 to £73,000. Increases are subject to EU VAT agreements and any further changes will be considered by the Chancellor as part of the annual Budget process.

Voluntary Contributions

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs received in voluntary contributions in financial year (a) 2011-12, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2009-10.

David Gauke: I have interpreted the hon. Members question to mean voluntary national insurance contributions.
	Voluntary Class 3 national insurance contributions totalled £139.3 million in 2009-10 and are currently estimated at around £73 million in 2010-11. Figures for 2011-12 are not available.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Health and Welfare Board

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that the appointment of external members to the Animal Health and Welfare Board reflects the full range of opinion relating to the health and welfare of farmed animals in intensive and traditional systems of production.

James Paice: The appointment of external board members is being managed in accordance with guidance from the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) to ensure an equitable and transparent process. Selection criteria is based on a demonstration of personal ability across a wide range of competencies which includes expertise in all relevant sectors and knowledge of animal health and welfare.
	Once appointed, external board members will collectively be responsible for actively engaging with all animal health and welfare stakeholder groups, and for articulating the differing views of such groups at meetings of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England.

Floods: Insurance

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has to ensure that those who live in properties at risk of flooding are able to insure their possessions once the Statement of Principles comes to an end in July 2013.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is working closely with the insurance industry to ensure that flood insurance remains widely available in England after the Statement of Principles comes to an end. I hosted a flood summit in September last year to discuss flood risk management and the challenges involved in flood insurance. Three working groups continued the dialogue and reported back on progress at a follow-up meeting in July this year.
	DEFRA is looking in detail at a number of options for the future of flood insurance. These include the possibility of creating a risk pool and options for supporting the market by targeting information or financial assistance at those at highest risk or least able to afford insurance. We are continuing to develop these options in partnership with HM Treasury and will provide an update shortly, with the aim of reaching a final decision by the spring.

Slaughterhouses

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department’s policy is on the regulation of abattoirs.

James Paice: Regulation of abattoirs (in England) is shared between DEFRA, which has policy responsibility for animal health and welfare and the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which has policy responsibility for food safety. The FSA also delivers official controls against animal health, including in relation to animal by-products (ABPs), and welfare on behalf of DEFRA.
	The Government are committed to supporting and developing British farming and encouraging sustainable food production. This involves providing help to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the whole food chain, including farms and fish industry, to help ensure a secure, environmentally sustainable and healthy supply of food with improved standards of animal welfare. These principles underpin departmental policy on the regulation of abattoirs.
	The welfare of animals in abattoirs is currently protected by directive 93/119 which has been implemented by The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995, as amended. This makes individual food business operators responsible for the welfare of the animals in the abattoirs they operate. Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing will replace directive 93/119/EC from 1 January 2013. The Regulation will be directly applicable in every member state. However Regulation 1099/2009 also allows member states to introduce stricter national rules to maintain welfare protection above the minimum standards provided for in the Regulation, which was in force before the Regulation was made in September 2009. Stricter national rules can also be used to introduce new protection in relation to killing animals outside a slaughterhouse, religious slaughter and farmed game. We are currently considering how Regulation 1099/2009 will be implemented and will consult on draft regulations before they are introduced. Our approach to implementation will be guided by the principles set out above and the Government’s commitment to reduce regulatory burdens where appropriate.
	Regulation of ABPs arising in abattoirs is covered by the EU animal by-products Regulation 1069/2009 and enforced by the FSA, which is responsible for ensuring that operators keep ABPs separate from material fit for human consumption and that ABPs are dispatched from the abattoir for safe use or disposal.

Wildlife: Circuses

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Resolution of the House of 23 June 2011, on wild animals in circuses, what steps she has taken towards banning the use of wild animals in circuses by 1 July 2012.

James Paice: We are continuing to explore ways of overcoming the current legal obstacles to a ban. However, given that a ban is not an immediate possibility, work is under way to develop a tough licensing regime that will stop circuses from using wild animals unless they provide appropriate welfare standards.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Commonwealth Development Corporation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates meetings or discussions have taken place between officials from the Financial Services Authority's Enforcement and Financial Crime division and the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) on (a) the adequacy of CDC Group's anti-money laundering procedures and (b) matters arising from the CDC's investments in Nigeria.

Andrew Mitchell: CDC met with representatives from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on 11 July 2011.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Overseas Aid

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been given in aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what monitoring arrangements are in place in that country to ensure that all the aid is used for the purpose for which it was provided.

Stephen O'Brien: The latest official figures for British Government aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the last five years are:
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Financial year Total UK aid DFID (share of UK total) 
			 2005-06 59 59 
			 2006-07 79 75 
			 2007-08 83 83 
			 2008-09 100 94 
			 2009-10 117 109 
			 Source: Statistics on International Development, October 2010. 
		
	
	Last year the Department for International Development (DFID) provided £132 million in aid for the DRC. The 2011-12 budget is £146 million. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is taken very seriously to ensure results, value for money and well managed risks. As data is limited and national systems weak in the DRC, DFID is making a significant investment to create bespoke M&E systems across its DRC portfolio. In addition to routine monitoring by programme partners and DFID staff, plans are in place for robust independent evaluations for many of our programmes to verify the results of our interventions. To boost internal capacity in this area, DFID is recruiting an evaluation adviser for its DRC office.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing to Afghanistan.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development's (DFID's) programme in Afghanistan is focusing on tackling poverty and helping Afghanistan become a stable and effective state by promoting more inclusive politics, supporting the establishment of effective local government institutions and helping communities resolve their disputes peacefully. DFID is also helping to make the country a better place for business by ensuring that small and medium sized enterprises have what they need to grow and compete. In addition we are working to support the Afghan Government to deliver basic services, such as healthcare and education, for their people. By the end of 2015, DFID support will create 200,000 jobs, provide technical and vocational education and training for 45,000 young people, help more than 100,000 children enrol in school (40% of them girls), and build or upgrade more than 47 km of road across central Helmand.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he expects to announce future funding for the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and tuberculosis; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The UK is ready to increase it's funding to the Global Fund in order to help meet its targets.
	The Report of the High Level Independent Review Panel on Fiduciary Controls and Oversight Mechanisms is due to be issued on 19 September. I expect the Board of the Global Fund, which will meet on 26 September, to take full account of the panel's report in its vision and strategy for the fund's future. The extent to which the Global Fund is able to deliver on the recommendations of the panel and define its strategy for the future will clearly be a key factor in the UK's decisions on future funding.

Equatorial Guinea: Overseas Aid

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been given in aid to Equatorial Guinea in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what monitoring arrangements are in place in that country to ensure that all the aid is used for the purpose for which it was provided.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have a bilateral programme or any presence in Equatorial Guinea. DFID does provide support however through multilateral partners working in Equatorial Guinea such as the European Union, World Bank and United Nations.
	DFID publishes the imputed UK share of multilateral aid for each country that receives official development assistance (ODA) in our annual report, which can be found on the DFID Website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	The following shows the imputed UK share of multilateral net ODA for Equatorial Guinea:
	
		
			 Equatorial Guinea: Imputed UK share of multilateral net ODA 
			  UK share (£000) 
			 2005 512 
			 2006 1,305 
			 2007 971 
			 2008 296 
			 2009 491 
		
	
	As a board member and shareholder of multilateral organisations such as the World Bank and UN agencies, the UK takes a strong role in the oversight of performance, results and fiduciary issues. DFID also continues to press for organisational reform in all multilaterals, monitoring their contribution to results and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Gabon: Overseas Aid

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been given in aid to Gabon in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what monitoring arrangements are in place in that country to ensure that all the aid is used for the purpose for which it was provided.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have a bilateral programme or any presence in Gabon. DFID does provide support however through multilateral partners working in Gabon such as the European Union, World Bank and United Nations.
	DFID publishes the imputed UK share of multilateral aid for each country that receives official development assistance (ODA) in our annual report, which can be found on the DFID Website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	The following shows the imputed UK share of multilateral net ODA for Gabon:
	
		
			  UK share (£000) 
			 2005 528 
			 2006 2,948 
			 2007 888 
			 2008 509 
			 2009 1,286 
			 Gabon: Imputed UK share of multilateral net ODA 
		
	
	As a board member and shareholder of multilateral organisations such as the World Bank and UN agencies, the UK takes a strong role in the oversight of performance, results and fiduciary issues. DFID also continues to press for organisational reform in all multilateral, monitoring their contribution to results and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Horn of Africa: Famine

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what meetings his Department has had with representatives of the (a) Somali and (b) Kenyan community in the UK on the famine in the Horn of Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: The Prime Minister and I visited Birmingham in July to meet members of the city's Somali community to listen to their concerns about the famine in Somalia. We discussed the substantial British aid effort and what more could be done internationally to help those suffering.
	In mid-September I spoke at a community meeting in Leicester where I met a number of Somali diaspora groups including the Somali Development Services. I also gave an interview to Somali television on the UK's response to the current humanitarian crisis.
	Officials from the Department for International Development have also met, and will continue to meet diaspora groups involved in the relief effort across the Horn of Africa, to share information and promote effective coordination of our efforts.

Horn of Africa: Overseas Aid

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on aid for the horn of Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: Over the summer months I have spoken with a number of my European counterparts on the provision of aid to the Horn of Africa.
	Specifically I have spoken with Germany's Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Dirk Niebel; Ben Knapen the Development Minister of the Netherlands and Henri de Raincourt France's Development Minister, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Swedish Development Minister Gunilla Carlsson. At the Tidewater conference in July I also addressed Development Ministers, which included Erik Solheim, Norway's Minister of the Environment and International Development.
	More recently, last Saturday at the meeting focusing on the Horn crisis at the UN General Assembly in New York, I addressed member states (including those from Europe) to stress the need for us all to do more; Argentina's Amado Boudoo, Australia's Kevin Rudd and Wayne Sean, Brazil's Guido Mantega, Canada's Jim Flaherty, China's Xie Xuren, India's Pranab Mukherjee, Indonesia's Agus Martowardojo, European Union's Olli Rehn, France's Francois Baroin, Germany's Qolfgang Schaulbe and Dirk Niebal, Italy's Giulio Tremonti, Japan's Jun Azumi, Mexico's Ernesto Cordero Arroyo, Russia's Alexet Leonidovich, Saudi Arabia's Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, South Africa's Pravin Gordhan, South Korea's Yoon Jeung-Hyun, Turkey's Mehmet Simsek and the US's Hillary Clinton.
	The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, have also had discussions with their counterparts from a range of countries on the Horn of Africa.

Libya: Armed Conflict

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the work of the Stabilisation Unit on post-conflict stabilisation activity in Libya.

Andrew Mitchell: The Stabilisation Unit has played an important part in the British Government's response to post-conflict planning for Libya and the unit has underpinned the work of its three parent Departments—the Department for International Development; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and Ministry of Defence—in cross-Whitehall planning for UK support to Libya's stabilisation.
	The Stabilisation Unit co-ordinated the deployment of the International Stabilisation Response Team (ISRT) to Libya in May 2011 to identify and report on the immediate challenges facing the Libyan people and suggest how the international community could respond. The ISRT reported its findings to Libyan leaders and the international community in June 2011 which has helped inform their planning.
	The Stabilisation Unit has also been part of cross-Government teams working on stabilisation planning and has helped recruit necessary UK technical expertise including policing and civil society experts.

Overseas aid

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development by what mechanism his Department ensures that UK aid reaches those who require it.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government have introduced a new ‘Aid Transparency Guarantee’ which will make our aid fully transparent to citizens in both the UK and recipient countries. Aid transparency is critical to improving aid effectiveness and value for money, and reduces waste, fraud and corruption.
	The creation of a new independent aid watchdog to review the effectiveness of DFID programmes has been set up. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact will scrutinise exactly how our aid money is being spent.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) has established a strong set of controls to manage risk of misuse of funds. We protect our funds in three ways: by ensuing that the funds were paid to the intended recipient, that the funds have been used for the purposes agreed, and that the use of the funds has been audited.

Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on the provision of aid to tackle non-communicable diseases in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development’s (DFID's) focus remains to improve the health of the poor through support to governments and other organisations to deliver basic services and to support the strengthening of health services to deal more effectively with communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
	The UK is also the largest contributor to Global Alliance of Vaccines and Immunisations (GAVI), and has already committed £2.3 billion. In June 2011, the UK made a further pledge of an additional £163 million per year over the next five years. Since 2000, GAVI has increased access to hepatitis B vaccination which prevents chronic liver disease and cancer that can result from hepatitis B infection. GAVI has immunised 267 million children against Hepatitis B and saved over 3,407,000 lives as a result. DFID recently launched PRIME (“PRogramme for Improving Mental Health CarE”) a new research programme which will focus on the development, feasibility, acceptability and impact of mental health care packages for priority mental disorders.

Overseas Aid

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his objectives are for negotiations on the next round of European Development Fund replenishment; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The European Commission (EC) published its Communication “A Budget for Europe 2020” on 29 June 2011. This included a proposed European Development Fund (EDF) of €30.321 billion for the period 2014 to 2020.
	Over the coming months, discussions on the EC's proposals are due to begin. The future of the EDF will be negotiated alongside the EU Budget. The UK's recent review of multilateral aid confirmed that the EDF was a high performer. In negotiating detailed proposals, the UK will not accept changes to the structure or focus of the EDF which might prejudice its current effectiveness.

Somalia: Armed Conflict

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on conflict in Somalia.

Andrew Mitchell: Over recent months I have talked to a number of my European counterparts on the situation in Somalia, including the impact of the conflict on the drought.
	This has included discussions with Germany's Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Dirk Niebel; The Netherlands Minister for Development, Ben Knapen and France's Development Minister, Henri de Raincourt. I have also met Andris Piebalgs and Kristalina Georgieva, the European Union Commissioners for Development and Humanitarian Aid respectively, and discussed Somalia with the Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini and Swedish Development Minister Gunilla Carlsson.
	More recently, last Saturday at the meeting focusing on the Horn crisis at the UN General Assembly in New York, I addressed member states (including those from Europe) to stress the need for us all to do more; Argentina's Amado Boudoo, Australia's Kevin Rudd and Wayne Sean, Brazil’s Guido Mantega, Canada's Jim Flaherty, China's Xie Xuren, India's Pranab Mukherjee, Indonesia's Agus Martowardojo, European Union's Olli Rehn, France's Francois Baroin, Germany's Qolfgang Schaulbe and Dirk Niebal, Italy's Giulio Tremonti, Japan's Jun Azumi, Mexico's Ernesto Cordero Arroyo, Russia's Alexet Leonidovich, Saudi Arabia's Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, South Africa's Pravin Gordhan, South Korea's Yoon Jeung-Hyun, Turkey's Mehmet Simsek and the US's Hillary Clinton.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Africa: Agriculture

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the number of white farming families in (a) South Africa and (b) Zimbabwe believed to have been the subject of direct intimidation leading to their relocation in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Henry Bellingham: Although the number of illegal farm invasions in Zimbabwe has significantly decreased since its peak in the early 2000s, there has been an increase in the frequency of reported intimidation of commercial farmers in recent months. No precise figures are available. We continue to condemn the practice of farm invasions, which contravenes the South African Development Community ruling of November 2008 and the terms of the Global Political Agreement and demonstrates a lack of respect for the rule of law. We have and will continue to raise this issue with all sides of the Government of Zimbabwe.
	There are no reliable data on the number of South African farmers who have relocated due to direct intimidation. Tackling crime in all its manifestations is a high priority for the South African Government. Crimes committed against commercial farmers, who play a vital role in the local economy providing food, security and employment, are a particular concern.

Anti-Slavery Day

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to mark Anti-Slavery Day on 18 October 2011.

Jeremy Browne: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has no plans to mark Anti-Slavery Day on 18 October 2011. This event is focused at national level and the Home Office are coordinating how the Government will mark the event.
	In terms of international efforts on this important issue that blights the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, the UK is a strong supporter of anti-slavery efforts. At the UN Human Rights Council in September 2007, the UK set up the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, Ms Gulnara Shahinian. Her mandate was renewed by consensus with an increased number of co-sponsors in September 2010. I welcomed Ms Shahinian to the UK on the UN International Day for the Abolition of Slavery on 2 December last year. We remain a strong supporter of her work. The FCO will develop plans to mark this year's UN International Day for the Abolition of Slavery closer to the time.

Armed Conflict

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether UK Government personnel provided information on Libyan dissidents resident in the UK to the Libyan authorities between 2003 and 2010.

Alistair Burt: It is the policy of successive British Governments not to comment on security and intelligence matters.

Armed Forces: EU Internal Relations

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on UK participation in EU structured cooperation in respect of military matters.

David Lidington: The UK has no plans to participate in EU permanent structured co-operation.

Armed Forces: EU Internal Relations

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the level of the UK financial contribution to an EU military operational headquarters; by what means such a contribution would be funded; and if he will assess the effectiveness of such potential expenditure.

David Lidington: The UK will not contribute financially to a permanent EU military operational headquarters. It does make its military headquarters at Northwood available for the conduct of EU operations, such as the EU's counter-piracy operation Atalanta. We see no justification for creating a permanent EU military operational headquarters. The establishment of a permanent operational headquarters would be a duplication of proven existing capability provided by NATO, as well as EU member states, and would be an unnecessary use of resources.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Politics and Government

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

David Lidington: The Government remain very concerned about the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). It is now a full year since general elections were held and there is still not a new state-level Government in place. Key reforms remain stalled, holding BiH back from further progress towards EU and NATO accession. HMG remains active, with its international partners, in effort to unlock reform progress and ensure compliance with the Dayton Peace Agreement. In this context, HMG welcomed the arrival in September of the new EU Special Representative, Peter Sorensen, marking the launch of a strengthened EU presence in BiH aimed at accelerating the pace and quality of EU-related reform and supporting BiH in its effort to move towards EU membership.

British Nationals Abroad

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he holds on the number of UK nationals living in each foreign country.

Jeremy Browne: We do not hold information about the numbers of UK nationals living in each foreign country. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has, in the past, sought to record this information but this practice was discontinued due to a lack of confidence in the accuracy of source information.

Council of Europe

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's priorities are for the UK's forthcoming chairmanship of the Council of Europe; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: Reform of the European Court of Human Rights will be the main priority of the UK Chairmanship of the Council of Europe, under an overarching theme of protecting and promoting human rights. Our full set of Chairmanship priorities will be published shortly before the beginning of the Chairmanship, as is the usual practice, and I will make a written ministerial statement then.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets;
	(2)  what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

David Lidington: Hogg Robinson is used for the travel requirements of all Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff based in the UK. They are charged with obtaining the best fare on the day in line with the traveller’s requirements and the Department’s Travel Policy. In addition the FCO has negotiated fares with some airlines on designated major routes. These fares are available to our travel management company and are used as a fare ceiling.

Egypt: Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has on anti-Semitism in Egypt; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: The Government are committed to fighting all forms of discrimination and intolerance, including anti-Semitism. We have made clear to the Egyptian Government the importance we place on promoting cultural and religious tolerance and on eliminating all legal provisions and policies which discriminate against different religious communities. We continue to support a peaceful transition to a diverse, non-discriminatory and democratic Egypt.

Egypt: Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what reports he has received of the attack on the Israeli Embassy in Egypt on 9 September 2011; and if he will make a statement; [R]
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the government of Egypt about the protection of the Israeli Embassy in Egypt; what response he received; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: The Israeli embassy in Egypt was attacked by protesters on the night of 9 September. The Prime Minister made the following statement on 10 September:
	“I strongly condemn the attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo. We have urged the Egyptian authorities to meet their responsibilities under the Vienna Convention to protect diplomatic property and personnel, including the Israeli embassy in Cairo. They have reassured us that they take these very seriously.
	The Egyptian authorities have previously said that they will uphold Egypt's international agreements including its peace treaty with Israel. We welcome this and look to Egypt to honour this commitment. We urge both countries to work together to resolve current tensions and enhance regional stability”.

Egypt: Politics and Government

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Egyptian authorities regarding reports that it may restore emergency law.

Alistair Burt: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces reinstated the full powers of the emergency law on 11 September. This has been presented as a response to growing concerns about the security situation, including violent protests against the Israeli embassy in Cairo. In May 2010 amendments had been introduced to limit the application of the emergency law to terrorism and drugs crimes.
	The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), called on the Egyptian authorities to end the state of emergency during their visits to Egypt earlier this year. We have urged the Egyptian authorities to replace the emergency law with counter-terrorism legislation that is compliant with international standards on human rights and fundamental freedoms, and we will continue to do so.

European Union

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2011, Official Report, column 565W, on European Union, what recent progress his Department has made in its review of the EU's existing competences.

David Lidington: Under the coalition agreement we are committed to examining the existing balance of competences and working to limit the application of the working time directive in the United Kingdom. We police the existing limits of competence carefully; for example, we have held firm to limit the EU's exercise of its external competences.
	On the working time directive, negotiations are expected to start later this month. Ministers have made it clear that the opt-out must remain workable and without burdensome constraints.

European Union

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2011, Official Report, column 565W, on European Union, what timetable he has set for his Department's work to review the EU's existing competences.

David Lidington: Under the coalition agreement we are committed to examining the existing balance of competences and working to limit the application of the working time directive in the United Kingdom. The coalition programme for government is a programme for a full term, not one year. I have been clear that my priority was to deliver on the promise to make it a legal requirement to hold a referendum before any future treaty change which transfers power or competence from the UK to the EU. That commitment was delivered in the European Union Act 2011.

Israel: Politics and Government

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Israel on (a) Christians in the Holy Land and (b) other issues for movement and access.

Alistair Burt: The Government places real importance on the right to freedom of religion for all. I visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in July, and raised the difficulties faced by Christians and in particular the impact of residency restrictions in Jerusalem.
	We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement between the west bank and East Jerusalem. It remains difficult for Palestinians, including Christians, to enter East Jerusalem.
	Through our embassy in Tel Aviv and consulate general in Jerusalem, we have lobbied the appropriate authorities on the issue of movement and access. We continue to work closely with the Quartet and EU partners, and to call on Israel to ease restrictions on access.
	The Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Lord Howell of Guildford delivered a speech to the International Conference on Christians in the Holy Land on 19 July 2011.

Libya: Terrorism

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on receiving compensation from Libya for those affected by IRA terrorism.

Alistair Burt: I have had no discussions with my US counterpart on this issue.

Libya: Terrorism

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the National Transitional Council in Libya on compensation for those affected by IRA terrorism.

Alistair Burt: The National Transitional Council's (NTC) chairman Abdul Jalil and Prime Minister Jibril have assured us that they will work with the UK to resolve bilateral issues arising from the wrongs of Qadhafi's regime. As the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), said in the House on 5 September, we are clear that compensation for those affected by IRA terrorism will be an important bilateral issue between the United Kingdom and the new Libyan authorities. I have not yet had detailed discussions with members of the NTC on this specific issue, since we have to give the NTC time to establish a new Libyan government.

Libya: Terrorism

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to assist in the recovery of compensation from Libya for those affected by terrorism.

Alistair Burt: As the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), told the hon. Member on 5 September, this will be an important bilateral issue between Britain and the new Libyan authorities.

Pitcairn Islands: Sexual Offences

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the measures in place to protect children on the Pitcairn Islands from convicted sex offenders.

Henry Bellingham: An independent review of child safety on Pitcairn was conducted in June by experts from the UK and New Zealand. The reviewers have concluded that the child safeguarding structures and policies introduced since the last review in 2009 are effective and should remain in place.

Tunisia: Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the looting of synagogues in Tunisia; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: We are aware of an incident in August when a synagogue in Sfax was vandalised and items stolen. Our embassy in Tunis are monitoring the security situation closely and believe that this was an isolated incident and not part of a wider trend targeting the Jewish community.
	We believe this incident is part of an increase in crime in Tunisia due to the Tunisian security services having to deal with incidents of unrest and strike action across the country, as well as tensions on the border with Libya. However, the Tunisian authorities have taken a strong stance against any acts of criminality and violence, and we understand that the Tunisian security forces are taking steps to address these security challenges.
	The Government are committed to fighting all forms of discrimination and intolerance, including anti-Semitism. We will continue to challenge racism and anti-Semitism and promote the human rights of all people across the world. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has called upon other states to do the same.

JUSTICE

Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when the Government proposes to lay before Parliament the necessary administrative orders to provide for the abolition of the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council contemplated under the Public Bodies Bill; and what provision the Government are making to ensure the full operational capability of the Council up to the date on which such orders are approved by Parliament.

Jonathan Djanogly: The public consultation on the proposals contained in the Public Bodies Bill will close on 11 October. If, after considering the responses, the Government confirm their intention to abolish the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council (AJTC), Ministers will lay an order before Parliament in spring 2012.
	To ensure the operational capacity of the AJTC, the Department has re-appointed Council members where appropriate and will arrange for adequate funding to be in place until closure. Ministers will keep the AJTC under review until closure.

Bill of Rights Commission: European Court of Human Rights

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 893W, on the Bill of Rights Commission: European Court of Human Rights, when he expects a detailed breakdown of the precise costs of the visit to be available.

Kenneth Clarke: The chair of the Commission on a Bill of Rights, seven commissioners and two members of the Commission’s secretariat visited the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in July. The costs for the visit were as follows:
	
		
			  Cost (£) 
			 Travel (Eurostar—Standard Class) 2,334 
			 Travel (other) 312 
			 Hotel 1,870 
			 Transport in Strasbourg 503 
			 T&S 340 
			 Total 5,359

Binyam Mohamed

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect on the Detainee Inquiry of the Court of Appeal ruling on the disclosure of material in the case of Binyam Mohamed; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: Serious allegations have been made by Mr Mohamed and others about UK involvement in the mistreatment or rendition of detainees held overseas by other countries. The Government have established the detainee inquiry, under the chairmanship of the right hon. Sir Peter Gibson, a retired former Court of Appeal judge, to examine these issues independently and thoroughly.
	UK national security must be protected—including from the harm that could arise from the damaging public disclosure of sensitive information. However, the inquiry will have access to all HMG papers it requires that are relevant to its examination. It will be for the detainee inquiry to choose what material is relevant to the issues it is examining. No non-sensitive material that the inquiry wishes to publish will be withheld from public disclosure. The Prime Minister has made clear that he intends to publish the inquiry's report with redactions only where necessary in order to avoid damage to the public interest. The Government have also undertaken to publish a formal response to any recommendations.

Camp on Private Land

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to create a criminal offence of illegally occupying a camp on private land; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: We have no plans to create a new offence of illegally occupying a camp on private land, though we are consulting on options for dealing with squatters in buildings.

Children: Maintenance

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions for failure to make payments to the Child Support Agency resulted in (a) a custodial sentence, (b) disqualification from driving and (c) any other conviction in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: I have been asked to reply.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many prosecutions for failure to make payments to the Child Support Agency resulted in (a) a custodial sentence, (b) disqualification from driving and (c) any other conviction in LPFA.
	Failure to pay child maintenance is not a criminal offence, so parents can not be prosecuted. However, where a non-resident parent fails to pay maintenance, there are a number of enforcement actions available. Money can be taken directly from a non-resident parent's earnings if the non-resident parent is employed, money can be taken directly from a non-resident parent's bank or building society account, or action can be taken to recover money through the courts.
	The most serious forms of enforcement are commitment to prison or disqualification from driving. The decision whether to impose these and the length of any order made, is at the discretion of a Magistrates' Court (or Sheriff in Scotland) where they are satisfied that a non-resident parent has “wilfully refused or culpably neglected” to pay child maintenance—but these are not criminal sanctions.
	
		
			 Child Support Agency: England Wales and Scotland civil enforcement actions 
			 Committals April 2010 to March 2011 
			 Order to Pay only 65 
			 Suspended Committal sentences 1,010 
			 Committal Sentences 40 
			 Suspended driving license disqualification sentences 165 
			 Driving license disqualification sentences 30 
			 Note: An order to pay is where the Magistrate grants a custodial prison sentence, suspended on condition that the NRP makes payment. Committal information includes both actual and suspended committal sentences and driving licence disqualifications following non payment of child maintenance 
		
	
	The total number of enforcement actions carried out by the Child Support Agency is routinely published on p23 of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS) available in the House of Commons library and at the following link:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/stats0611.html
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Civil Disorder

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of those charged with public disorder offences since 6 August 2011 are (a) in employment and (b) not in employment.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice published available statistics on 15 September on people being dealt with by the court system in relation to the August disturbances. A bulletin, titled "Statistical bulletin on the public disorder of 6th to 9th August 2011" can be found by following the link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/criminal-justice/public-disorder-august-11.htm
	Information on the current employment status of those charged with public disorder offences since 6 August 2011 is not collected centrally on Ministry of Justice administrative data systems.

Community Legal Advice: Telephone Services

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on the Community Legal Advice telephone service in each year since 2004; and how many calls the service received in each such year.

Jonathan Djanogly: The cost of and number of calls to the Community Legal Advice Helpline, established in July 2004, is provided in the table as follows.
	
		
			 Financial year Cost (£ million) Number of calls 
			 2005-06 8.4 273,157 
			 2006-07 12.1 387,977 
			 2007-08 16.7 411,954 
			 2008-09 19.1 566,085 
			 2009-10 23.8 639,006 
			 2010-11(1) 23.3 631,221 
			 Total 103.4 2,909,400 
			 (1) Figures for 2010-11 are currently unaudited.

Community Legal Advice: Telephone Services

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department plans to make the Community Legal Advice Helpline the sole gateway to criminal legal aid services.

Jonathan Djanogly: We do not have any current plans to make the Community Legal Advice Helpline the sole gateway to criminal legal aid services.

Community Legal Advice: Telephone Services

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the impact assessment for the establishment of the Community Legal Advice Helpline as the sole gateway to civil legal aid services considered the cost implications to (a) service users and (b) welfare services providers of using 084 and 087 prefix telephone numbers.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Community Legal Advice Telephone Helpline uses a 0845 prefix number. The impact assessment identifies both monetised and non-monetised impacts on individuals, groups and businesses in the UK, including both legal aid clients and legal services providers. Paragraph 14 of the impact assessment considered the issue of the cost of calling the helpline.
	In addition, paragraph 22 of Annex D of the Government Response to the consultation on the Reform of Legal Aid in England and Wales sets out the measures in place to minimise the cost of contacting the service. These include various call back facilities available such as call operators and specialist advisers offering to call people back, a 'text for a call back' service and an online call back request service to request a call at a time and in a language of their choice.
	The impact assessment for the Advice Telephone Helpline can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/consultations/annex-d-telephone-advice.pdf

Crime

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential effects on crime rates of the reduction in funding for the Magistrates' Mock Trial competition.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Magistrates' Mock Trial Competition is organised by the Citizenship Foundation. Although the level of Government funding has reduced as a consequence of reduced departmental budgets, the competition continues to run.
	This year HMCTS is making a grant of £25,000. In addition it is opening courtrooms at weekends and in the evenings and giving staff time. To ensure the continuation of the scheme, HMCTS is assisting the Citizenship Foundation in identifying alternative funding streams.
	HMCTS has not made an assessment of the potential effects of the reduction in funding on crime rates nor would it be possible to do so.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets;
	(2)  what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice uses Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) to manage its air travel requirements under contract that expires in May 2012.
	CWT are contracted to access the best and most appropriate deals. They provide quarterly data comparing the deals achieved relative to market trends.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years;
	(3)  how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established;
	(4)  what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

Crispin Blunt: In the Ministry of Justice, the Department's Director of Analysis also carries out the Department's chief scientific adviser role. Therefore there is no separate resource budget allocation for the office of chief scientific adviser in the Ministry of Justice.
	The Ministry of Justice was created in 2007. Our first Director of Analysis was appointed in August 2008 and remains in post. Details of her salary have been made available under the data transparency agenda on the MOJ website. It is between £85,000 and £89,999 per annum.
	The Director of Analysis draws on staff within the Analytical Services Directorate and beyond as required to fulfil her remit. We do not hold information on the proportion of time spent on the chief scientific adviser’s duties within the Ministry of Justice. Therefore we have no estimate of the full-time equivalent staff.
	The CSA role was established in MOJ in August 2008.
	We do not have a policy of requiring agencies, non-departmental public bodies or contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice. Other arrangements are in place to seek this outcome.
	Civil service staff in agencies and non-departmental public bodies would be expected to adhere to the Civil Service Code. The code requires them to demonstrate integrity (putting the obligations of public service above personal interests), objectivity (basing advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the evidence) and impartiality (acting solely according to the merits of the case). We would expect this to lead to independent and robust advice to Ministers and policy makers. Where Government Analysts are in place, the various analytical professions' codes would similarly require the provision of objective, robust and impartial advice delivered to high professional standards. This would often include external peer review of products to ensure their robustness and quality.
	In relation to contractors for analytical services, our standard terms and conditions require them to perform the services with reasonable care and diligence. This would include, but not be limited to, applying industry best practice, in accordance with their own established internal procedures and their compliance with any appropriate code of practices on ethical standards.

Departmental Compensation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many compensation claims were received by the Prison Service from (a) prisoners, (b) prison staff and (c) visitors in each of the last three years; how many of these cases were defended by the Prison Service; and how many cases the Prison Service settled out of court.

Crispin Blunt: Civil litigation can take several years to resolve and the number of claims completed in any given period may not be the same as those received within the same time frame. Therefore, a full answer to the question could be obtained by interrogating hundreds of individual cases files and only at disproportionate costs.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice spent circa £12.9 million in the year 2010-11 on external solicitors and barristers. A breakdown of the average hourly rates and sums paid in each case as requested cannot be provided as this information is not held centrally or recorded in a manner that is easily retrievable to provide a full reply, it could be obtained only by manually sifting through files and invoices at a disproportionate cost. However in accordance with HM Treasury requirements all spend transactions over £25,000 are published on the Ministry of Justice website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/transparency-data/spend-over-25000.htm
	MOJ has established a departmental-wide gateway process for authorising spend on external legal services. Business units wishing to purchase legal services of any value from suppliers other than the Treasury Solicitor or Counsel must first inform Legal Directorate who will ascertain whether the matter can be dealt with in-house, or by the Treasury Solicitor's Department. Legal Directorate assist the business area in deciding which external firms should be invited to tender from the list of accredited suppliers under Legal Services Framework Agreements available on the Buying Solutions website for the Government Procurement Services:
	www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk
	Government have negotiated fee rates with each of these firms which may be open to further discussion as part of contract negotiations.
	Barristers are instructed through Legal Directorate from the Attorney-General's Panel of Counsel. A full list is available on the Treasury Solicitors website:
	www.tsol.gov.uk/attorney_generals_panel_of_counsel.htm
	London Panel Rates
	A Panel: £120 per hour
	B Panel: £100 per hour
	C Panel: £60 or £80 per hour for under or over five years call respectively.
	First Treasury Counsel advise on, and represent Government in, particularly complex and sensitive matters at an hourly rate of £220.
	Regional Panel Rates
	10 years’ or more experience: £110 per hour
	Over five years' experience but under 10: £90
	Under five years' experience £60
	QC rates are negotiated with the clerk and usually range from between £180 and £250 per hour.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether, on average, private legal firms contracted to provide legal services to his Department were paid more than such firms contracted to provide comparable services for the Legal Services Commission in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: It is not possible to make proper comparisons between the costs of legal services provided to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and those to the Legal Services Commission (LSC). The MOJ as a Government Department is able to use agreed panel rates with the Treasury Solicitor, rates which are open to all Government Departments. The LSC, as a non-departmental body, cannot use the same framework to procure its advice. However, the LSC does use the Office for Government Commerce procurement framework which represents negotiated hourly rates available to non-departmental bodies when obtaining legal services, without having to revert to negotiations with the private market. Both the Treasury Solicitor panel rates and the rates from the procurement framework are designed to deliver value for money, as both provide for rates lower than private market rates for similar services. Treasury Solicitor panel rates are available at the following website:
	http://www.tsol.gov.uk/PanelCounsel/appointments_to_panel.htm

Departmental Manpower

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff were employed in his Department's Ministerial Correspondence Unit in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The number of posts in the Ministry of Justice's Ministerial Correspondence Unit was as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year ending 31 March Number 
			 2007 10 
			 2008 17 
			 2009 17 
			 2010 15 
			 2011 15

Deportation: Offenders

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 13 September 2011, Official Report, columns 1131-2W, on deportation: offenders, 
	(1)  how many foreign national offenders were subject to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in each of the last five years; and how many foreign national offenders have become subject to MAPPA in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many foreign national offenders subject to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) have (a) reoffended and (b) breached the terms of their MAPPA in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: Information on the nationality of offenders subject to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) is collected by the local criminal justice agencies that constitute the MAPPA Responsible Authority and is used in developing plans for managing the risks posed by offenders in the community. This information is not available centrally in the National Offender Management Service and would have to be obtained from the records of local Probation Trusts and local police forces. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	The UK Border Agency cannot provide the information requested about the number of foreign national offenders who were, or have become subject to, MAPPA in the past five years, because the date a foreign national offender becomes managed under MAPPA is not recorded on the agency's case management database. Nor can the agency provide information about the number of foreign national offenders subject to MAPPA who have reoffended or been in breach in the past five years, because the only way to obtain this information would be via a manual search. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Driving Offences: Speed Limits

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on people with 12 points on their driving licence being given exemptions from a driving ban; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: Under the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, section 35, disqualification for a minimum of six months must be ordered if an offender incurs 12 penalty points or more within a three-year period. The minimum period may be automatically increased if the offender has been disqualified within the preceding three years. The period of a totting up disqualification can be reduced or avoided for exceptional hardship or other mitigating circumstances at the court's discretion.

Drugs: Prisons

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to reduce the use of drugs and alcohol in prisons.

Crispin Blunt: The Government are committed to tackling the supply of illegal drugs and alcohol within prisons and rehabilitating prisoners from drug and alcohol dependency to drug-free lives.
	As set out in our response to the Green Paper ‘Breaking the Cycle’, we are increasing security measures in prison to reduce the supply of drugs and alcohol.
	We are also piloting Drug Recovery Wings to provide short sentenced, drug dependent prisoners with continuity of treatment between prison and the community and working with health services to move to a treatment system focused on recovery which does not maintain heroin users on prescription alternatives such as methadone, unless absolutely necessary.
	The current measure of drug prevalence in prisons is the random mandatory drug testing (rMDT) programme. In 2010-11 the positive rate for rMDT was 7.1%.

Female Genital Mutilation: Prosecutions

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions there have been under the provisions of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: There have been no prosecutions under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 reported to the Ministry of Justice for England and Wales, since its introduction in March 2004, up to the end of 2010 (latest available).
	The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 is intended to help prevent this unacceptable practice from happening in the first place. Research suggests that a number of barriers to prosecution, including pressure from the family or wider community, lead to cases going unreported.
	Following a public consultation, multi-agency practice guidelines on handling cases of female genital mutilation were published by the Home Office in March; and the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) published guidance for prosecutors on 7 September 2011.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring of 2012.

Fly-Tipping: North West

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there were for fly-tipping in each local authority area in the North West in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for fly-tipping offences in the North West region from 2006 to 2010 (latest available) is given in Table 1 as follows.
	A penalty notice for disorder (PND) may be issued for offences of depositing and leaving litter. Information on the number of PNDs issued for these offences in the North West Region from 2006 to 2010 is given in Table 2.
	Centrally held court proceedings and PND data are not available at local authority area level. Data are given in the table for the North West region broken down by police force area.
	Court proceedings and PND data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring 2012.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of defendants p  roceeded against at magistrates   courts and found guilty at all courts for fly-tipping offences  (1)  , by police force area, North West region, 2006  -  10  (2, 3) 
			  2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 North West region Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty 
			 Cheshire police force area 16 11 16 14 34 27 23 17 11 9 
			 Cumbria police force area 6 5 9 9 16 16 14 11 7 2 
			 GreaterManchester police force area 164 106 209 153 127 98 57 47 87 75 
			 Lancashire police force area 56 40 102 60 81 59 75 57 51 39 
			 Merseyside police force area 13 12 30 27 46 39 40 21 44 30 
			 Total 255 174 366 263 304 239 209 153 200 155 
			 (1) Includes offences under the following statutes: Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.33(6)(8)(9), 34 and 59; Control of Pollution Act (Amendment) Act 1989, s.1; Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of penalty notices for disorder issued to persons aged 16 and over for offences of depositing and leaving litter, by police force area, North West region, 2006  -  10  (1) 
			 North West region 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Cheshire police force area 8 4 1 3 1 
			 Cumbria police force area — 18 9 13 7 
			 Greater Manchester police force area 18 43 50 61 51 
			 Lancashire police force area 61 33 39 19 12 
			 Merseyside police force area 134 96 97 111 138 
			 Total 221 194 196 207 209 
			 (1 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Human Rights

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in how many cases of alleged overseas human rights abuses UK multinational companies were granted (a) conditional fee agreements and (b) legal aid prior to the enactment of the Access to Justice Act 1999.

Jonathan Djanogly: Claims can be brought in England and Wales alleging corporate harm in foreign jurisdictions. These are claims for damages in tort or contract rather than claims under the Human Rights Act or European convention on human rights. A number of such cases have been brought, but we do not hold a breakdown of their funding as between conditional fee agreements and legal aid. We understand that most of these cases concern claims for personal injury, which has been outside the scope of legal aid since April 2000 unless they are brought as part of a multi-party action with wider public interest.
	The LSC cannot provide full information on the number of actions granted funding prior to the Access to Justice Act as full records are not retained.

Human Rights Act 1988

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on which dates since the entry into force of section 19 of the Human Rights Act 1998 a Minister of the Crown in charge of a Bill in the House of Commons has made a Statement under that section to the effect that, although he is unable to make a Statement of compatibility regarding the provisions of the Bill, the Government nevertheless wishes the House to proceed with the Bill; what each Bill that was the subject of the Statement was; which provision or provisions of each such Bill caused the Minister to be unable to make a Statement of compatibility; and whether each such provision was, or those provisions were, enacted.

Kenneth Clarke: The Minister in charge of a Bill must, upon its introduction into each House of Parliament, make a statement of compatibility under section 19(l)(a), or a statement as cited by my hon. Friend under section 19(l)(b) that a statement of compatibility cannot be made.
	Since this requirement came into force on 24 November 1998, only one Government Bill has, on its first introduction into Parliament, carried a statement under section 19(l)(b): the Communications Bill, which was introduced on 19 November 2002. On that occasion, the right hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Tessa Jowell) made a statement as the Minister in charge of the Bill that, because of clause 309 of the Bill, she was unable to make a statement of compatibility with the Convention rights. Clause 309, which was ultimately enacted as section 321 of the Communications Act 2003, perpetuated the ban on political advertising and sponsorship in the broadcast media. The contemporary report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the Bill (“Scrutiny of Bills: Further Progress Report”, Fourth Report of Session 2002-03, HC Paper 50) discussed further the basis for this statement.
	In addition, Ministers have made a statement under section 19(l)(b) in respect of two Government Bills brought from the House of Lords, the provisions in respect of which the statements were made having been introduced by amendments in the Other Place. Upon the introduction of the Local Government Bill into this House on 13 March 2000, the Minister in charge of the Bill, the former right hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (John Prescott), made a statement under section 19(l)(b); this was in light of the amendment agreed by the House of Lords to prevent the repeal of section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986 (as inserted by section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988), which required local authorities not intentionally to promote homosexuality. Similarly, upon the introduction into this House of the Civil Partnership Bill on 5 July 2004, the former right hon. Member for Leicester West (Patricia Hewitt) made a statement under section 19(l)(b) as result of amendments made by their Lordships that would have permitted family members to register as civil partners.
	In both of these cases, the Bill in question bore a statement of compatibility under section 19(l)(a) upon its first introduction into Parliament; and in both cases, the provisions in respect of which the statements under section 19(l)(b) were made no longer formed part of the Bills when they were enacted as the Local Government Act 2000 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 respectively.

Legal Aid Scheme

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to pay state-funded external legal services at the same rate as solicitors funded by legal aid in the same dispute.

Jonathan Djanogly: The state does not qualify for legal aid, and as such it cannot procure its own legal services at legal aid rates. If external legal services are engaged by the Ministry of Justice, the Department uses agreed rates through The Treasury Solicitor which are applicable to all Government Departments.

Legal Aid Scheme

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of the response from the Financial Inclusion Taskforce to his consultation on the reform of legal aid.

Jonathan Djanogly: The response has been placed in the House Library.

Legal Aid Scheme

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to reduce the costs incurred by his Department on state-funded defendants instructing private firms of solicitors and barristers.

Jonathan Djanogly: State-funded defendants cannot instruct lawyers on a private basis as lawyers are paid through legal aid. However, acquitted individuals (defendants) in criminal cases who instruct lawyers privately are currently eligible to receive their defence costs at private rates. These rates are substantially higher than legal aid rates. These costs are borne by the central funds budget for which the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), is responsible. The central funds budget has increased from £45 million in 2004-05 to £94 million in 2010-11.
	The Secretary of State for Justice is taking steps to reduce central funds expenditure. The provisions of clause 52 and Schedule 6 to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, currently before Parliament, provide that: (i) acquitted individuals in the magistrates court who pay privately will remain eligible to receive their private defence costs but these costs will be capped at legal aid rates or thereabouts; (ii) acquitted individuals in the Crown court will not be eligible to receive their private defence costs because legal aid is available to all individuals in the Crown court.
	These provisions are, subject to receiving Royal Assent in their current form, expected to lead to savings of up to £50 million per year in steady state by reducing the amount paid to acquitted individuals who instruct lawyers privately.

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the implementation of the provisions of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which (a) remove recoverability of after-the-event insurance, (b) introduce damages-based agreements, (c) introduce qualified one-way cost shifting, (d) increase general damages by 10%, and (e) remove success fees on the number of cases involving alleged overseas human rights abuses by UK multinational companies in which victims are able to access legal redress.

Jonathan Djanogly: The impact assessments published alongside the Government consultation and response on implementation of Lord Justice Jackson's recommendations set out the impact of the reforms on claimants. The Government are aware of concerns about the impact of the reforms on claimants alleging overseas human rights abuses by UK multinational companies, however, we are not persuaded that there is anything fundamentally different about these types of case which would warrant an exemption from our proposals.

Magistrates' Mock Trial Competition

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the potential savings to the public purse of the reduction in funding for the Magistrates' Mock Trial competition.

Jonathan Djanogly: Since 2008-09 total Government funding for the Magistrates' Mock Trial competition has amounted to £180,000. The level of the grant has reduced over this period due to the need to focus on the delivery of front-line business. This year HMCTS is making a grant of £25,000.

Miscarriages of Justice: Simon Hall

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received in support of allegations of a miscarriage of justice in the case of Mr Simon Hall.

Crispin Blunt: On 9 September 2011, the Ministry of Justice received an eight-page file from Mr Hall outlining the circumstances of his conviction and claiming that he had suffered a miscarriage of justice.
	The Criminal Cases Review Commission has assumed responsibility for investigating alleged miscarriages of criminal justice and referring them to the relevant appeal court, where appropriate. The Criminal Appeal Act 1995 gave the Commission full powers to direct and supervise investigations, approve the appointment of officers to carry out investigations on its behalf, and to gain access to documents and other relevant materials. As the Commission is an independent body it would be inappropriate for Ministers to seek to influence its consideration of applications. It is open to Mr Hall to consider making an application to the Commission for a review of his case.

Offenders

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to publish all submissions to the consultation on the Green Paper entitled Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders.

Crispin Blunt: The Government intend to publish a summary of the responses to the Green Paper Breaking the Cycle in the near future.

Offensive Weapons

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted of possession of a bladed article where the bladed article has been used to threaten or cause fear in each of the last three years; and what the average length of sentence was.

Crispin Blunt: It is not possible to separately identify those specific cases where the defendant was convicted for using a bladed article to threaten or cause fear.
	Data held centrally on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database does not include information about the circumstances behind each case, other than that which may be identified from a statute.

Prisons: Catering

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will consider allowing prisons to bid to provide their own catering services.

Crispin Blunt: All providers of custodial services are free to provide catering themselves, or to choose the provider of their catering services from an approved list of framework suppliers. When a change to the current catering service provision is requested, a formal mini tender competition is carried out.

Prisons: Private Sector

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the maximum profit margin allowed to private companies which take over running of prisons.

Crispin Blunt: Our objective in using competition for the running of prisons is to deliver more effective outcomes and to achieve better value for money for the taxpayer. The competition process is open to providers from the public, private or voluntary and community sectors. As with previous prison competitions, the profit margins achievable by private companies will be balanced against the need to ensure that their bids are sufficiently competitive.

Probation

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the National Association of Probation Officers with regard to the competitive tender in the Probation Service.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has consulted NAPO regarding the current competition to deliver Community Payback in London. This competition is the only competition currently being run for community offender service.
	As part of the review of probation, announced by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), on 13 July 2011, NOMS is currently developing wider proposals on the use of competition in community offender services and the best model for delivering them. We will set out our proposals on probation reform in the autumn, at which point we will engage with wider stakeholders.

Young Offenders: Re-offenders

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of young offenders leaving young offender institutions reoffend.

Crispin Blunt: The table shows the one year re-offending rates for juvenile offenders (aged 10 to 17) discharged from custody (Young Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centres or Secure Children's Homes) in the first quarter of each year since 2000.
	A re-offence is defined as any offence committed in the one-year follow up period proven by a court conviction or an out-of-court disposal.
	
		
			 As at Quarter 1: Number of offenders Re-offending rate (percentage) 
			 2000 912 75.7 
			 2001 (1)— (1)— 
			 2002 959 72.9 
			 2003 786 73.8 
			 2004 815 76.4 
			 2005 844 73.1 
			 2006 817 77.0 
			 2007 778 75.3 
			 2008 816 74.3 
			 2009 765 71.9 
			 (1) Data are not available for 2001 due to a problem with archived data on court orders. Note: More information on the re-offending rates is available from the Ministry of Justice website: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/reoffending/juveniles.htm

Youth Offending Teams: Redundancies

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there have been any redundancies from youth offending teams in (a) London and (b) Newham since 2010.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice are not able to give figures on redundancies from Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) as the data are not collated centrally.
	YOTs are a partnership made up of representatives from the police, probation service, children's services, health, education, drugs and alcohol misuse and housing officers. YOT staff are employed by the relevant local authority and as such are not employees of the Ministry of Justice or the Youth Justice Board.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Andy Coulson

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on what dates he has met Andy Coulson since his appointment.

Jeremy Hunt: I refer the hon. Member for Bury South to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann) on 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 615-16W.

Anti-Slavery Day

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans his Department has to mark Anti-Slavery Day in 2011.

John Penrose: The Government are fully committed to combating human trafficking by tackling organised crime groups and protecting the victims of this modern day slavery.
	We published a strategy on human trafficking on 19 July, which reiterates the UK's intention to take a comprehensive approach to combating trafficking—both by focusing on tackling traffickers and maintaining effective care for victims.
	The strategy also sets out our commitment to raising awareness of trafficking among the public and the private sector. The Government recognise the importance of Anti-Slavery Day as an opportunity to improve understanding and increase vigilance in our communities. Accordingly, we are planning to mark Anti-Slavery Day with a range of events including the launch of a training and referral process for the airline industry with a major UK airline.
	However, DCMS has no plans to mark Anti-Slavery day itself.

Arts

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what responsibility (a) his Department and (b) Arts Council England has for the development of Government policy on the arts and culture.

Jeremy Hunt: I am responsible for Government policy on the arts and culture; Arts Council England is responsible for implementing that policy, as set out in its Royal Charter.

Botulinum Toxin

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take in relation to the advertising of botulinum toxin.

Edward Vaizey: None. Controls on the advertising of medicines, medical devices, treatments, health-related products and beauty products, such as Botulinum toxin, are the responsibility of the independent regulators, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine which cannot be advertised to the public under the current Advertising Codes administered by the ASA.

Broadband

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans his Department has for private sector involvement in the creation of a world-class broadband network.

Edward Vaizey: The Government aim to stimulate private investment and delivery of superfast broadband to 90% of all premises and 2Mbps for virtually all communities by 2015. Delivery will be led by the private sector, with public funding being made available to make the necessary investment cost-effective to industry in areas where this is required.

Broadband

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how the UK high speed broadband balanced scorecard is being created; and when it will be published.

Jeremy Hunt: My Department is discussing with Ofcom the appropriate indicators to use and the timing of the publication of the Best In Europe Scorecard and I will make an announcement in due course following those discussions.

Broadband

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what representations he has received from small businesses on the provision of high speed broadband.

Jeremy Hunt: I receive a significant amount of correspondence from all sizes of businesses and from business representative organisations regarding availability of high speed broadband.

Broadband

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what regulatory changes his Department proposes in respect of the roll-out of super-fast broadband in areas not served by the market.

Edward Vaizey: The Government are committed to helping increase investment in broadband networks, partly by removing legislative or regulatory barriers. For example, we are committed to consulting on the deployment of new overhead lines which have the potential to reduce the cost of deploying new infrastructure in some hard to reach areas.

Broadband

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for what reasons the date for provision of universal broadband has changed.

Jeremy Hunt: The Government have announced more ambitious targets, to be delivered in a more realistic time frame and with more funding available, compared with the approach taken by the last Government.

Broadband: Scotland

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Scottish Government on the allocation of funds for the rollout of superfast broadband in Scotland.

Edward Vaizey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun on 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 543W.

Broadband: Scotland

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment his Department has made of the speed of the rollout of superfast broadband in (a) Scotland and (b) other parts of the UK.

Edward Vaizey: The Government are supporting the Scottish Government to deliver superfast broadband to 90% of all premises in Scotland and standard broadband to virtually all communities by 2015.
	With regard to the rest of the UK, the Government announced in the summer the indicative funding allocations for local authority areas in England and for the devolved Administrations to support delivery of the objective for 90% of the UK population to have access to a superfast broadband connection and for universal access to a service of at least 2 Mbps by 2015.
	Five pilot projects are currently undertaking procurement, including the project in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and a further four projects are ready to commence procurement. Other areas of the country are making good progress with their plans.

Creative Industries Council

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what issues the Creative Industries Council will address.

Jeremy Hunt: The Creative Industries Council will look at a wide range of issues relevant to economic growth in this sector as identified by the Industry membership. This includes, but is not limited to, the issues of skills and access to finance.

Departmental Aviation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

John Penrose: The Department uses Capita Business Travel.

Departmental Aviation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

John Penrose: The information is as follows:
	(a) Capita Business Travel were procured via a Buying Solutions (now Government Procurement Service—GPS) framework Agreement, and it is this framework that set the contractual obligations (b) travellers are asked to book as far in advance as possible to get better rates. Also as this is a government wide contract, the travel company has to ensure that it is delivering the best pricing/value and these are being continually benchmarked by category managers at GPS.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have a formal resource budget allocation for a chief scientific adviser and has not had a specific resource budget allocation over the last five years. The resource budget allocation which covers their work is the wider DCMS research budget.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport had one chief scientific adviser in the last five years, who was employed until 13 September 2010. She was a member of the Department's board until her last day of service and, as such, her remuneration details were published in the Department's Annual Accounts. This can be accessed on our website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/8309.aspx
	(page 72).

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not currently have, nor has it had during this period, a formal office to support the chief scientific officer. Support has been received from a civil service equivalent grade of 7 and a senior executive officer in the order of 1.05 full-time equivalent (three days a month).

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have a specific written code of practice relating to its agency and arm's length bodies scientific evidence and advice provision, conduct and quality assurance. When using contractors for research, our policy is to ask them to adhere to the standard guidelines and principles on conducting social research. This includes the Social Research Association ethical guidelines as well as the principles developed and made available by Government Social Research.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

John Penrose: The Department does not hold the information in the consolidated format you have requested. To provide it would incur disproportionate costs; but we can provide total costs paid to external solicitors and barristers, which can be found in the table.
	The Department commissions external legal advice on the basis of advice provided by a team of lawyers from the Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSol).
	Counsel is usually selected from a set of panels filled by competition and with agreed panel rates. Details of Counsel who are currently on the Treasury Solicitor's (civil) panels are available from the TSol website at:
	www.tsol.gov.uk/attorney_generals_panel_of_counsel.htm
	In circumstances where Counsel is selected off-panel (for example, where leading Counsel is required), nominations are sought from the Attorney-General. Fees in these cases are individually set but the nomination process ensures that higher charging Counsel are unlikely to be retained unless a very cogent business case can be made.
	External firms of solicitors are chosen from panels of competitively selected firms on the basis of their ability to provide high quality, value for money legal services. The Government have negotiated fee rates with each of these firms.
	The names of the external solicitors and barristers engaged by the Department in 2010-11, and the sums paid in each case, can be found in the following table. These costs are taken from the departmental legal costs budget.
	
		
			 (A) Firm (B) Barrister Total (£)  (1) 
			 Field Fisher Waterhouse  8,001.11 
			 Charles Russell  12,634.78 
			  Jeremy Johnson (5 Essex Street) 729.75 
			  Marie Dementriou 4,025.25 
			  James Eadie QC 2,326.50 
			 Withers  10,476.59 
			  Michael Furness QC 6,227.51 
			  Charles Harpurn 3,840.00 
			  Daniel Beard 8,349.75 
			  Ben Hooper 1,370.00 
			 Linklaters  1,062,616.90 
			  Mr Gerard Clarke 634.50 
			 DLA Piper  48,298.93 
			 (1 )Including VAT. Note: All the figures listed are inclusive of any disbursements incurred, such as travelling costs. 
		
	
	In the case of barristers, the above figures do not represent the personal earnings of the individuals during 2010-11. A percentage of their fees are also paid towards professional overheads.

Departmental Training

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department has funded foreign language tuition for Ministers or officials of his Department since May 2010.

Jeremy Hunt: There is no record of my Department having funded any foreign language tuition for Ministers or officials since May 2010.

Education

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has for the future of creative education.

Jeremy Hunt: My Department, along with the Department for Education, will set out our plans for cultural education later in the year in response to Darren Henley's review into this area.

FIFA

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the reform of FIFA.

Jeremy Hunt: The Minister for Sport met his European counterparts in February in Budapest and then on 6 September in Gdansk to discuss issues of governance, match-fixing and integrity. On each occasion he reiterated our view that international federations, such as FIFA, should reform themselves quickly and effectively. The Minister for Sport is a member of the International Olympics Committee President's High level Working Group on Corruption in Sport.

Government Art Collection

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on making the Government Art Collection available for public display.

Jeremy Hunt: The Government Art Collection (GAC) regularly lends works of art to temporary public exhibitions all over the country. Current and future exhibitions which include loans from the GAC are taking/will take place in Birmingham, Brighton, Carlisle, Chichester, Compton Verney, Durham, Edinburgh, Penzance and Stratford-on-Avon.
	In 2011-13 the GAC is holding a series of 5 displays at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London which will include nearly 200 GAC works of art. These will tour as a single unit to Birmingham 16 November 2012 to 24 February 2013 and Belfast 15 March to 9 June 2013.
	Additionally, the vast majority of the GAC's holdings are accessible online via its website. All the GAC's paintings (up to the end of 2007) are included in the Public Catalogue Foundation's volume on the GAC (2008) and on the BBC/Public Catalogue Foundation's “Your Paintings” website, and this year the GAC published a book, “Art, Power, Diplomacy: The Untold Story of the Government Art Collection”. The GAC gives tours of its premises to organised groups approximately three times per month and is open to the public during both the annual Culture 24 Museums at Night and Open House weekends. GAC staff also give public lectures, when requested, to organisations outside London.

Government Art Collection

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many items in the Government Art Collection are in storage.

Jeremy Hunt: Of over 13,500 works in the Government Art Collection 4,571 are currently not on display and are available for selection and display. Of these 382 are awaiting installation at already selected specific venues and 26 are being either restored or reframed. Given the nature of the collection these figures are continually changing.

Government Art Collection

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many items in the Government Art Collection are on display in locations outside Greater London.

Jeremy Hunt: In the UK, 352 Government Art Collection items are on display in locations outside Greater London (including 29 on temporary exhibition and loans to non-Her Majesty's Government's buildings) and 5,194 are abroad. Given the nature of the collection this figure regularly changes.

Intellectual Property

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he last met the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to discuss the Hargreaves Review of intellectual property.

Jeremy Hunt: I meet the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much (a) financial and (b) other support in each category local enterprise partnerships in (i) the East Midlands, (ii) the East of England, (iii) London, (iv) the North East, (v) the North West, (vi) the South East, (vii) the South West, (viii) the West Midlands and (ix) Yorkshire and the Humber have given to the creative industries since the inception of each partnership.

Jeremy Hunt: The Government encourage any work undertaken by Local Enterprise Partnerships to support the creative industries in their area but does not record the information specified.

Mass Media: Ownership

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether the Government plans to submit evidence on the issue of (a) media ownership and (b) press regulation to the Leveson inquiry.

Jeremy Hunt: If we are approached for information or to give evidence, we shall co-operate fully with any requests.

Music

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what monitoring his Department carries out of the provision of local music services.

Nick Gibb: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department for Education has contracted with the Federation of Music Services (FMS) to monitor and report on the use of the Government's Music Education Grant, which is paid to local authorities. The FMS also administers this grant on behalf of the Department.
	In return for their funding, local authorities are required to report on: the nature of the music education services they provide, including data on the number of schools and children receiving free first access instrumental tuition; the number of children continuing instrumental tuition after first access; the number of ensemble opportunities offered to pupils; and the level of funding local authorities themselves contribute towards music education.
	The FMS reports back to the Department on a regular basis, highlighting both problems and best practice.

National Lottery: Tickets

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library a copy of any assessment his Department has made of the geographical distribution of the purchase of lottery tickets.

John Penrose: The Department makes no assessment of the geographical distribution of the purchase of lottery tickets. The national lottery operator, Camelot, and their regulator the National Lottery Commission (NLC), ensure that total sales figures broken down by game type, week by week, are made available on a monthly basis with quarterly sales reports providing some additional commentary, the link to the agreed reporting timetable for this financial year and links to the reports can be found on the NLC website here:
	http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/regulating-the-lottery/sales-reporting
	The national lottery operator believes that the geographical breakdown of national lottery sales information is commercially sensitive information, particularly given the development of the gambling and lottery markets in recent years. In the interests of transparency, we are looking into this further and, in the meantime, I will ask the chief executive of Camelot to write to the hon. Lady.

Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the outcome of the London 2012 Olympics test events.

Jeremy Hunt: To date, the staging of test events for London 2012 has been a notable success. Feedback from International Sport Federations has been very positive and the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is already addressing the learning areas captured in this first series in readiness for both Games-time and the next series of test events, which started in early October. The public has also responded with enthusiasm to the events, with large turnouts rewarded by considerable British sporting success.

Olympic Games 2012

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of progress on the Government's objectives for a sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympics.

Jeremy Hunt: I am confident that the London 2012 games will leave behind a significant sporting legacy. We will support elite sport by maintaining public funding for Olympic and Paralympic sport going into the Rio 2016 cycle. We've set out an ambitious programme of bids for major sporting events, with the 2013 Triathlon World Series Final and 2015 Canoe Slalom World Championships secured in Olympic venues, Weymouth and Portland bidding for the World Cup in sailing and the Major Prize of the 2017 World Athletics Championships to be decided in November. Olympic venues and investment in training facilities will support local communities after the games. We are preserving Whole Sport Plans and holding sports to account on meeting challenging participation targets. More than a thousand local sports clubs and facilities will be improved, the nation’s playing fields protected, and 40,000 new community sports leaders recruited to get more people playing sport through our mass-participation strategy, Places People Play. This will also have a specific disability sport strand.
	The new school games will give every school and pupil the opportunity to take part in more competitive sport, with opportunities for disabled children and young people to participate in each level of the competition. In addition, the Change4Life sports clubs will allow more young people to try a wider range of sports, giving young children their start to enjoy a lifetime’s habit of playing sport.
	Our legacy plans will even change lives abroad through the ground-breaking International Inspiration programme which helps to increase sports opportunities in 17 countries and has reached over 10 million young people in 16 countries.

Olympic Games 2012: Conditions of Employment

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that branded merchandise that has been manufactured by children working in sweatshops or otherwise unacceptable working environments is not sold during the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is a private company operating independently of Government, responsible for staging the games including the licensing and merchandising.
	LOCOG places a high priority on environmental, social and ethical issues when procuring goods and services needed for the games, and explicitly rules out the use of child labour by all of its suppliers. LOCOG has put in place effective supply chain assurance arrangements, by developing a Sustainable Sourcing Code which all licensees are contractually bound to abide by. The code can be found at london2012.com/publications
	http://www.london2012.com/about-us/publications/index.php
	The code requires licensees to disclose to LOCOG the locations of factory premises used to produce London 2012 products, to register these premises on the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex) and to comply with the Ethical Trading Initiative's Base Code (which covers labour conditions, trade union membership, non-discrimination and child, labour).

Olympic Games 2012: Dorney Lake

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local media outlets receive media accreditation for the London 2012 Olympics events at Dorney Lake.

Hugh Robertson: The British Olympic Association (BOA), as the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is responsible for allocating accreditation for the Olympic games for media based in the United Kingdom. The British Paralympic Association (BPA), as the National Paralympic Committee, is similarly responsible for UK media allocation to the Paralympic games. The process for the Paralympic games has yet to be finalised.
	I understand from the BOA that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the BOA far more accreditations than in the past and more accreditations than any other National Olympic Committee. Over 3,000 applications have been received for the approximately 400 accreditations available.
	To assist with the allocation process, the BOA established a Media Accreditation Committee composed of representatives from a broad spectrum of the written and photographic press respected for their knowledge and experience from Olympic games or understanding of the UK media.
	For 2012 the IOC awarded BOA the following number of accreditations:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Journalist 270 
			 Photographer 80 
			 Sport specific journalist 20 
			 Sport specific photographer 20 
			 Support staff 8 
			 Technician 12 
		
	
	When determining the allocation of accreditations BOA has taken into account, among other things, continuous editorial commitment to Olympic sport throughout the four-year Olympic cycle; history of attending Olympic games; circulation numbers; publication frequency. Throughout this process the BOA's primary purpose has been to ensure that the allocations made are fair given the limited number of accreditations available. The Press Association has been appointed by the IOC as the National Host News Agency for the London 2012 Olympic games (and has also been appointed by the International Paralympic Committee as the National Host News Agency for the 2012 Paralympic games) to service the local and regional press in the UK and they have committed to covering every British athlete at the games. The BOA has also agreed that regional written and photographic press who applied for accreditation should benefit from a small number of passes to be allocated on a pool basis. The distribution of these will be decided by the BOA with guidance from the Newspaper Society, in consultation with regional publishers. The Newspaper Society will be in touch with representatives of regional newspaper groups in the next few months to set up a meeting to discuss practical arrangements over operation of the pool.
	I will shortly be writing to the BOA on this matter and I will ensure the outcome of this correspondence is passed on to my hon. Friend.

Olympic Games 2012: Greater London

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what meetings he has had with the Mayor of London on the economic legacy for east London of the London 2012 Olympics.

Jeremy Hunt: I have regular meetings with the Mayor of London on matters connected with London 2012 and its legacy. The Mayor is responsible for the legacy for East London which is why Government are legislating to enable him to set up a Mayoral Development Corporation to drive the regeneration of the area and its economic legacy post-games.

Olympic Games 2012: Horse Riding

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans his Department has for the equine-specific equipment purchased for the London 2012 Olympics after the conclusion of the games.

Hugh Robertson: The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is a private company operating independently of Government, responsible for staging the games. LOCOG will hire the majority of sports equipment it requires, however there will be some sports equipment purchased. LOCOG is talking to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) about donation of this equipment post-games, including the British Equestrian Foundation (BEF). Next year LOCOG will finalise what equipment this is likely to include and will agree this with the NGBs, including BEF. LOCOG must of course balance its overall budget.

Rugby

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect on amateur rugby of hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2015.

Hugh Robertson: Recent research by UK Sport says that two-thirds of live spectators at major events are inspired to participate in the sport. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is committed and determined to ensure that enthusiasm is properly harnessed in 2015 producing a domestic and international legacy from the tournament. The RFU has set up eight Regional Legacy Boards to lead this drive ensuring that amateur rugby across the country benefits from hosting the World Cup on home soil. The legacy plans are to start right away.

Rugby

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) financial and (b) other support his Department (i) has provided and (ii) plans to provide for preparations for hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The Government have provided a financial guarantee for the Rugby World Cup should the tournament not generate sufficient revenues. It has also provided a number of other guarantees in areas such as security, visas, anti-doping and customs controls necessary to stage the competition.
	UK Sport also supported the hugely successful Women's Rugby World Cup in 2010. The support being provided to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) is on the basis that they will hold a tournament which reflects the diversity of the nation and invest all profits in grassroots rugby or social programmes such as Hitz.

Sculpture: Abingdon Green

Frank Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has for the care and maintenance of the Knife Edge-Two Piece by Henry Moore on Abingdon Green accepted as a gift to the nation by the Government in 1967.

Edward Vaizey: My Department is not generally responsible for the maintenance of public sculptures but is keen to see them properly maintained. I understand that the problem with Knife Edge Two Piece has been compounded by the fact that it has been difficult to identify who is responsible for the care and maintenance of the work.
	The House of Commons has an excellent Advisory Committee on its works of art, chaired by the hon. Member for Aberdeen North and I would propose that the matter should be referred to his Committee to allow the House to consider whether it would be willing to take on the ownership and duty of care of this sculpture. In suggesting this, I am aware that the House of Commons has its own professional curatorial staff who would provide the very finest levels of care for the sculpture.

Sports

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what targets he has set for increased participation in sport in England.

Jeremy Hunt: We are determined to get more people playing sport. Part of that will be making it clear to sports governing bodies that we expect concrete results in return for Government investment. I have already written to all NGBs emphasising that funding will be decreased or may cease altogether for organisations that fail to achieve their objectives.
	We have already introduced the School Games, Sport England has a £136 million lottery funded legacy programme in place and we are reviewing, with Sport England, how to increase the number of young people playing sport.

Sports

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to promote community and grassroots sport.

Jeremy Hunt: We are preserving Whole Sport Plans and holding sports to account on meeting challenging participation targets. Through our mass-participation programme, Places People Play, more than a thousand local sports clubs and facilities will be improved, the nation's playing fields protected and 40,000 new community sports leaders recruited to get more people playing sport. This will also have a specific disability sport strand.
	The new School Games will give every school and pupil the opportunity to take part in more competitive sport, with opportunities for disabled children and young people to participate in each level of the competition, in addition the Change4Life Sports clubs will allow more young people to try a wider range of sports, giving young children their start to enjoy a lifetime's habit of playing sport.

Sports: Clubs

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of sports clubs using community asset transfers;
	(2)  how many sports clubs have successfully completed the transfer of a community asset in the last 12 months.

Jeremy Hunt: This information is not collated by the Department; however, Sport England is aware of the increased popularity of community asset transfers. Sport England has been working closely with the Asset Transfer Unit to develop a range of support tools and resources aimed at sports clubs, national governing bodies and local authorities. In addition, the Localism Bill includes provisions to give community groups more opportunity to bid to take over assets listed as an Asset of Community Value, if they are made available for sale.

Sports: Clubs

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the effect of philanthropic giving on amateur sports clubs.

Jeremy Hunt: The Department does not hold this information. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs advise that sports clubs that have registered as Community Amateur Sports Clubs have benefited from £9.1 million of gift aid relief since 2002.

Sports: Clubs

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if he will assess the effect of deregistration requirements on the number of community amateur sports clubs;
	(2)  if he will bring forward proposals to make it easier for sports clubs to leave the Community Amateur Sports Clubs scheme in circumstances where they no longer derive benefits or become ineligible.

Jeremy Hunt: The Sport and Recreation Alliance's Red Tape review identified deregistration requirements as a barrier preventing clubs from registering as Community Amateur Sports Clubs. The Minister for Sport and the Olympics, the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Hugh Robertson), has written to Her Majesty's Treasury to request that an easier exit strategy be found should a club no longer benefit from the scheme.

Sports: Community Development

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what measures his Department is taking to promote the Community Amateur Sports Clubs scheme.

Jeremy Hunt: The Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA) has already re-launched the Community Amateur Sports Clubs scheme (CASCs) and Sport England is funding Running Sports to develop new training sessions for CASCs.
	The SRA looked at the issue of CASCs in the Red Tape review commissioned by the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Hugh Robertson), who has written to Her Majesty's Treasury to raise various issues on CASCs, including a request to consider allowing CASCs to claim Gift-Aid on junior subscriptions.

Sports: Local Government Finance

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the effect on community and grassroots sport of changes in Government funding to local authorities.

Jeremy Hunt: I have regular conversations with Department for Communities and Local Government colleagues in relation to sport. Through Whole Sport Plans, Sport England is investing £480 million through 46 national governing bodies between 2009 and 2013. The governing bodies work closely with their network of sports clubs to invest funding at a local level, in addition, the mass participation Olympic Legacy-Places People Play, will provide funding opportunities for sports clubs with £10 million for playing fields and £50 million for community sports facilities.

Sports: Young People

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review on participation in sport at youth level.

Jeremy Hunt: As a result of the Government’s changes to the National Lottery, Sport England will see its funding increase by 14% over the spending review period. Up to £35.5 million of lottery funding from Sport England is being invested into the development of the School games, which will give more young people the opportunity to compete in competitive sport. This investment alongside our plans for an Olympic and Paralympic sporting legacy will provide more opportunities for more young people to participate in sport.

Sports: Young People

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what analysis he has undertaken of recent trends in the level of participation in sport by young people.

Jeremy Hunt: Data from the latest Taking Part survey shows that 90% of children (aged five to 15) had taken part in sport in the four weeks prior to being surveyed.

Sports: Young People

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what change the Government expects in levels of participation in competitive sport by young people during the comprehensive spending review period.

Jeremy Hunt: Sport England is investing up to £35.5 million of Lottery funding from now until March 2015 in the School Games which is a key part of the Government's plans for a lasting sporting legacy from hosting the London 2012 Games. All children in participating schools will have the opportunity to take part.

Swimming: Concessions

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the effects of (a) the provision of and (b) the removal of provision of free swimming on (i) the over 60s and (ii) the under 17s.

Hugh Robertson: We have made no such assessment. However, in April 2009 the Department commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to undertake an independent evaluation of the Free Swimming Programme (FSP). This evaluation report, published in June 2010, found that the FSP did not represent good value for money, particularly as the report found that 83% of over 60s and 73% of those aged 16 and under would have gone swimming anyway, even if they had to pay. The analysis has also found that the costs of the scheme outweighed the health benefits. Full details of this evaluation can be found at the following link:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/FSPyear1_main_report.pdf
	Sport England is investing £20.8 million into the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) over the period 2009-13 to grow and sustain participation in swimming. The ASA are working closely with key local authorities to drive increases in participation across all age groups.

Television Channels: Licensing

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he plans to respond to Ofcom's report on the licensing arrangements for Channels 3, 4 and 5.

Jeremy Hunt: I will announce my response as soon as I am able. I wish to take the opportunity of the Communications Review to give this matter proper consideration.

Television: Local Broadcasting

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what regulatory changes he plans to make in respect of the introduction of local television.

Edward Vaizey: As set out in the framework for local TV consultation paper, the Government intend to lay three orders to: reserve a block of geographic interleaved spectrum across the UK for use by local services; create a new local licensing regime for local TV and; secure appropriate electronic programme guide prominence for newly licensed local TV services on digital terrestrial television.

Television: Local Broadcasting

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport upon what timetable he plans to establish the Framework for Local Television under the Local Media Action Plan.

Edward Vaizey: It is expected that the Government will lay the necessary legislation by the end of this year and, subject to parliamentary process, Ofcom will consult on and award the new local television licences during 2012. The first local licences are expected to be awarded in 2012 with the first services expected to begin broadcasting in 2013.

Television: Local Broadcasting

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what local content other than news and current affairs he expects of local television.

Edward Vaizey: Content shown by local services will be for local operators and the market to decide. It should reflect the individual needs and interests of the communities served.

Television: Local Broadcasting

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects the first group of new local TV stations to begin broadcasting.

Jeremy Hunt: The first local services are expected to commence broadcasting in 2013.

Television: Young People

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on programmes targeted at young people in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07, (d) 2007-08, (e) 2008-09, (f) 2009-10 and (g) 2010-11.

John Penrose: Significant programmes run by this Department since 1995 which will have particularly benefited young people are:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Programme 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 UK Schools Games — — 6,000,000 490,000 10,000 725,000 
			 Youth Mentoring — 616,599 708,181 666,333 666,000 643,436 
			 Change 4 Life — — — — 3,380,000 750,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Children's Play 500,000 498,009 502,140 514,128 508,719 475,163 
			 Youth Dance — — — 100,000 100,000 95,000 
			 Music Rehearsal Spaces — — — — 72,434 367,630 
			 Free Swimming (for under 16s) — — — — 21,730,799 6,688,189 
			 Total 500,000 1,114,608 7,210,321 1,770,461 26,467,952 9,744,418 
		
	
	Young people have also benefited from a range of schemes administered by arm's length bodies but we do not hold centrally the data for these. Schemes paid directly by the Department and by arm's length bodies included funding contributions from other Government Departments.

Tourism: Economic Situation

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how his tourism strategy will promote economic growth.

Jeremy Hunt: The tourism policy, published in March, includes a range of proposals to help tourism achieve its potential as a central part of Britain's growth strategy. These include initiatives which will help us to capitalise on the Olympic and Paralympic Games and other major events in 2012, increase domestic tourism and improve productivity.
	For example, over the next four years VisitBritain will be overseeing the “You're Invited” programme, which will make the most of the international interest in the recent royal wedding, as well as next year's Diamond Jubilee celebrations as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, showcasing Britain to the world. The programme aims to attract 4 million extra visitors, spending an additional £2 billion in the UK economy, which will support businesses, jobs and growth. The programme is backed by a £100 million marketing fund, funded by the public and private sector.
	VisitEngland is working closely with local areas and destinations, in line with Government's localism agenda, to grow the value of local tourism economies. They are also currently working on a marketing campaign with destinations across the country, to deliver economic growth from the domestic market, and to support employment and job creation. This will maximise the impact of the unique events of 2012, helping to spread the benefits of the Games outside London and maintain a legacy of domestic tourism growth.
	We will also help the industry to improve staff and management skills and prepare for changes in technology and information provision, cut red tape and identify sector specific rules and regulations that are holding the industry back, and improve our visa processes and visitors first experience when they arrive in the UK.

UK Film Council

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what savings have been made from the abolition of the UK Film Council.

Jeremy Hunt: I refer the ho. member to the answer I gave him on 4 May 2011, Official Report, column 753W.

EDUCATION

Academies

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2011, Official Report, column 351W, when he expects the second round of applications to open for the fund for 2011-12 that will be targeted mainly towards academies' building condition needs.

Nick Gibb: We have decided to retain the remainder of the 2011-12 fund in order to ensure funds are available to address urgent and unexpected capital maintenance needs in academies. Academies should discuss such needs with their liaison officer in the Young People's Learning Agency in the first instance.
	On 19 July, we announced details of the Government's initial response to Sebastian James's independent review of capital, and this will inform the shape of future arrangements for allocating capital funding to academies. Significantly, we have committed to carrying out a condition survey of the schools estate, to enable a fairer distribution of available funding in the future.
	We also announced the launch of a new privately-financed school building programme to address those parts of the schools estate in the worst condition. The programme will be open to academies, schools and local authorities, and is expected to cover between 100 and 300 schools. Further details can be found at:
	https://sharepoint.partnershipsforschools.org.uk/PSBP/

Academies: Bromley

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which secondary schools in the London borough of Bromley have converted to academy status in 2011 to date; what the operative date is in each case; who the partner is in each case; and what staff changes are planned for the posts of (a) headteacher, (b) deputy headteacher, (c) other teaching staff and (d) other staff in each case.

Nick Gibb: As of 1 September, 14 secondary schools in the London borough of Bromley have converted to academy status in 2011. Of these, three schools—Beaverwood School for Girls, Bishop Justus Church of England School and Coopers Technology College—opened as academies in March 2011. Six schools—Charles Darwin School, Hayes School, Langley Park School for Boys, Newstead Wood School for Girls, Ravens Wood School and The Ravensbourne School—opened as academies in April 2011. The Bullers Wood School opened as an academy in May 2011. Two schools—Langley Park School for Girls and St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School—opened as academies in August. The two remaining schools—Cator Park School and Kelsey Park Sports College (now known as the Harris Academy Beckenham)—opened as academies in September and are in a formal partnership with the Harris Federation.
	As autonomous bodies, personnel issues, including the recruitment and retention of staff, are matters for the Academy Trust.

Academies: Warwickshire

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which primary schools he expects to become academies in (a) Coventry and (b) Warwickshire in the 2011-12 academic year.

Nick Gibb: At present, no primary schools in Coventry or Warwickshire have applied to convert to academy status; this may, however, change over the course of the academic year. Four primary schools in Coventry and eight primary schools in Warwickshire have already expressed an interest in converting. Full details of schools that have formally applied for academy status, as well as a list of academies that have opened in the academic year 2010-11, can be found on the DFE academies website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesof schools/academies/a0069811/schools-submitting-applications-and-academies-that-have-opened-in-201011

Anti-Slavery Day

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has to mark Anti-Slavery Day 2011.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education and the Home Office are marking Anti-Slavery Day with the launch of new guidance entitled 'Working together to Safeguard children who may have been trafficked'. The guidance will raise awareness of the issues amongst agencies in England who are likely to encounter, or have referred to them, children and young people who may have been trafficked.
	The Government are fully committed to combating human trafficking by tackling organised crime groups and protecting the victims of this modern day slavery.
	The Government published their strategy on human trafficking on 19 July. The strategy reiterates the UK's intention to take a comprehensive approach to combating trafficking—both by focusing on tackling traffickers and maintaining effective care for victims.
	The strategy also sets out our commitment to raising awareness of trafficking among the public and the private sector. The Government recognise the importance of Anti-Slavery Day as an opportunity to improve understanding and increase vigilance in our communities.

Children: Care Homes

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many looked-after children were placed in (a) homes and hostels (i) subject and (ii) not subject to children's homes regulations, (b) foster placements and (c) other arrangements by another local authority in each local authority area in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 13 September 2011
	Information on the number of looked after children who were placed in (a) homes and hostels (i) subject and (ii) not subject to children's homes regulations, (b) foster placements and (c) other arrangements by another local authority in each local authority area for the years 2009 and 2010 only, has been placed in the House Libraries. Information for the three years prior to 2009 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Children: Care Homes

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children aged between (a) 0 and five years, (b) six and 10 years and (c) 11 and 16 years were placed in (i) homes and hostels (A) subject and (B) not subject to children's homes regulations, (ii) foster care and (iii) other arrangements by another local authority in each local authority area in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 13 September 2011
	The requested information for the years 2009 and 2010 only has been placed in the House Libraries. For completeness information has also been included for children aged 17 years and over. Table 1 includes information for 2009; table 2 includes information for 2010. Information for the three years prior to 2009 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Children: Crimes of Violence

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will (a) assess the United Nations Global Survey on Violence against Children conducted by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children and (b) place a copy of his assessment in the Library.

Tim Loughton: The Department is now considering the United Nations Global Survey on Violence against Children. A copy of any Government response will be placed in the House Libraries.

Children: Hyperactivity

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate his Department has made of the incidence of (a) attention deficit disorder and (b) hyper-activity among school pupils in the last 15 years.

Sarah Teather: The Department does not collect annual data that record the incidence of attention deficit disorder or hyperactivity among school pupils. The most recent data collected on the mental health of children and young people, ‘Mental Health of Children and Young People in Great Britain 2004’, put the incidence of hyperactivity disorder among children and young people in Great Britain aged five to 15 at 1.5%.

Children: Respiratory System

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the number of children who did not attend sports lessons as a result of respiratory illnesses in the last year for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not collect this information from schools.

Children's Centres: Finance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding his Department plans to allocate to children's centres in each of the next four years.

Sarah Teather: Since April 2011, funding for children's centres is included within the Early Intervention Grant (EIG). The allocation for 2011-12 and the indicative allocation for 2012-13 are shown in the following table. Funding beyond March 2013 is subject to future spending reviews.
	The EIG is an un-ring-fenced and un-hypothecated funding stream that gives local authorities flexibility to target resources strategically and to intervene early to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. It is up to local authorities to judge how best to use this funding in consultation with local communities, taking account of local need and evidence of what is most effective. Local authorities have statutory duties under the Childcare Act 2006 to provide sufficient children's centres to meet local need so far as is reasonably practicable, and to ensure there is consultation before opening, closing or making significant changes to services through children's centres.
	
		
			 Early Intervention Grant 
			  £ 
			 2011-12 2,222,555,697 
			 2012-13 2,307,199,996 
			 Total 4,529,755,693

Children's Play: Training

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on requiring those seeking to (a) establish and (b) find employment with children's playschemes to achieve the same qualifications as those working in educational children's programmes.

Sarah Teather: Play settings that provide care for children aged between birth and the academic year in which they turn five need to meet the staff-to-child ratios and qualification levels required by the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Play settings that provide care for children who are aged over five and are on the General Childcare Register need to meet the requirements set out in the General Childcare Register Regulations 2008. Subject to those requirements, the Government believe that the play work sector is best placed to determine the training and development needs of its work force.

Curriculum: Animal Welfare

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to include animal welfare in the personal, social, health and economic curriculum.

Nick Gibb: The review of personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), which was launched on 21 July 2011, will identify the core body of knowledge that pupils need, as well as ways to improve the quality of teaching. In addition to considering the submissions of evidence and good practice the review will also evaluate the existing research available on PSHE education and its teaching. We welcome representations, including evidence, which can be submitted up to the end of November 2011. The consultation website can be accessed at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Tim Loughton: The Department uses Carlson Wagonlit Travel Ltd to purchase airline tickets.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years;
	(2)  what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established;
	(4)  what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

Tim Loughton: The information is as follows:
	(i) In the Department for Education, the role of chief scientific adviser is carried out by the full-time director of research and analysis. Her basic salary was between £85,000 and £89,999 in 2010-11, and is expected to be between £85,000 and £89,999 in 2011-12. The Department publishes information about the salaries of senior civil servants on its website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmental information/transparency/b0065313/disclosure-of-scs-posts-and-salarv-information
	The post of chief scientific adviser was established in the Department in 2005. Three people in the Department have held the post of chief scientific adviser in the last five years. The current director of research and analysis, encompassing the chief scientific adviser role, was appointed to the post in August 2008. Prior to that, it was filled on a temporary basis for 11 months, following the departure of the previous chief scientific adviser, and chief economist, in September 2007.
	(ii) Our chief scientific adviser does not have a specific chief scientific adviser's office. There is no specific budget for the chief scientific adviser role. The role is carried out as part of the duties of the director of research and analysis.
	(iii) Although there is no specific office supporting the chief scientific adviser, there are approximately 0.15 FTE staff supporting the director of research and analysis in carrying out the chief scientific adviser role.
	(iv) The Department is committed to providing scientific advice in accordance with the Government chief scientific adviser's "Guidelines on the use of science and engineering advice in policy making". All of our analysts are bound by the civil service code and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. Commitment to these values is required of all members of the home civil service.
	(a) The Department's arm’s length bodies (ALBs), formerly known as non-departmental public bodies, have their own standards and principles which they apply locally to ensure analytical evidence is robust. Where they have produced official statistics, they have been bound by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) Code of Practice for Official Statistics. A number of activities will be transferring from these ALBs to four new Executive agencies in the Department by April 2012, under the departmental reform programme. The Executive agencies will be bound, as appropriate, by the UKSA Code of Practice for Official Statistics
	http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html
	and the Government social research code
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/networks/gsr/gsr-code
	(b) The Department ensures that all of its research and evaluation contractors have suitable systems and processes to ensure that appropriate standards for the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice are met. Potential contractors are required to clearly state in their tenders which codes of practice or protocols they are bound by, these are then considered by the Department's project manager when they are evaluating the tenders. Once a contractor is appointed their work is overseen by a professional Government analyst to ensure quality standards are maintained.
	The Department's social researchers, who manage most of the Department's externally commissioned research and evaluation projects, are bound by the Government social research (GSR) code which sets out specific principles to guide the work and behaviour of Government social researchers. The GSR code brings together professional standards and departmental/devolved Administration guidance under seven key principles. Adherence to the code ensures high quality research and analysis for policy and operational delivery research, and analysis that is scientifically rigorous, relevant and valued.
	The Department's contractors who are involved in the processing of data that supports statistical publications are bound by principles within the UKSA code where relevant, for example regarding how they handle and store data to ensure security and prevent early release of statistics.
	The largest volume of statistical releases and outputs related to my Department's areas of responsibility are produced by or in association with professional statisticians working within the Department itself, who act in accordance with the UKSA code of practice:
	http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html
	Where statistical releases have been assessed by UKSA for compliance with the code their designation as National Statistics compliant with the code has been confirmed.

Departmental Manpower

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people have been (a) recruited and (b) made redundant from (i) his Department and (ii) each non-departmental body for which he is responsible since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: Information for the number of staff recruited to and released from the Education Family workforce (the Department and its arm’s length bodies) is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Name Number of staff recruited since May 2010 Number of staff released since May 2010 
			 Department for Education 71 178 
			 British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) 0 207(1) 
			 Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) 291 121 
			 Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) 0 11 
			 General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) 6 0 
			 National College 7 23 
			 Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC) 17 1 
			 Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) 25 0 
			 Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) 123 27 
			 Partnerships for Schools (PfS) 5 21 
			 Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) 0 140 
			 School Food Trust (SFT) 1 18 
			 Training and Development Agency (TDA) 14 21 
		
	
	
		
			 Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) 52 0 
			 (1 )BECTA is now closed. Note: The total cost of all releases (248) was £5.6 million.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether any complaints from officials of his Department have been received in respect of his political advisers since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 12 September 2011
	Since May 2010, officials in the Department have no record of receiving any complaints in respect of its political advisers.

Dominic Cummings

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when Mr Dominic Cummings started work at his Department; and whether he is still employed.

Tim Loughton: Dominic Cummings joined the Department for Education on 21 February 2011 and is still employed.

Drugs: Misuse

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education who the members are of the volatile substance abuse stakeholders group; when the group last met; and when it next plans to meet.

Sarah Teather: The volatile substance abuse steering group was established under the previous Administration. It last met in November 2009 and there are no plans to reconvene the group.

Drugs: Misuse

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment his Department has made of the work of (a) hospital trusts, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) local education authorities concerning the prevention of volatile substance abuse.

Sarah Teather: No recent assessments have been made concerning the prevention of volatile substance abuse. Department for Education research published in February 2011 looked at the costs and benefits of specialist drug and alcohol services for young people. Also, as part of the 2010 Drug Strategy, officials looked at international evidence on preventing substance misuse, consulting widely on the most effective ways of doing so. Government Departments are working closely to ensure commitments made in the Drug Strategy are met.
	The non-ring fenced Early Intervention Grant will allow local authorities to prioritise funding according to local need and where it will have the greatest impact.

Drugs: Misuse

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding his Department has allocated to the prevention of volatile substance abuse in each of the last three years.

Sarah Teather: Through the Children and Young People's Grants the Department for Education funded organisations called 'Solve It' and 'Re-Solv' which both work on the prevention of volatile substance abuse (VSA).
	‘Re-Solv' received money to develop training materials, promote them to key work force groups and deliver training. 'Solve It' received funding to develop a programme of VSA education, awareness, training, family support and counselling. The amounts allocated are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Re-Solv Solve It Total 
			 2008-09 — 51,000 51,000 
			 2009-10 44,518 50,000 94,518 
			 2010-11 45,097 52,000 97,097 
			 Total 89,615 153,000 242,615 
		
	
	Local authorities used to receive funding through the area-based grant (ABG) for substance misuse. Between 2008 and 2011 it was £7 million per year (£3 million from DFE and £4 million from DH). This year local authorities have received £2.2 billion though the Early Intervention Grant which allows them to target their funding where it is most needed.

Education: Environment

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the level of environmental education in schools.

Nick Gibb: Environmental issues are included in both the current geography curriculum and science curriculum for primary and secondary aged pupils.
	Ofsted undertakes thematic reviews of National Curriculum subjects. The ‘Geography—Learning to make a world of difference’ report, published in 2011, found that in strong performing schools students had an awareness of environmental issues, locally and globally, and cared about their environment and were aware that they needed to act as responsible citizens. In addition, the ‘Successful science—An evaluation of science education in England 2007-2010’ report, published in 2011, found that in the schools in which the pupils' achievement was good or outstanding the school used their local environment effectively.

Education: Finance

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much of the 16 to 19 Bursary funding awarded to students in Bassetlaw has been awarded to students who previously received education maintenance allowance (EMA); and how much remains for schools to allocate to applicants who have not previously received EMA.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the 16-19 Bursary Fund for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 22 September 2011
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ72796 that asked:
	“How much of the 16-19 Bursary funding awarded to students in Bassetlaw has been awarded to students who previously received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA); and how much remains for schools to allocate to applicants who have not previously received EMA.”
	We do not hold the information you are requesting.
	Transitional arrangements have been put in place for young people previously in receipt of EMA. These arrangements provide continuity for those young people who successfully applied for EMA in 2009/10 and are completing their course of education or training in 2011/12. In these cases, students will get EMA in 2011/12 at the same rate as they did in 2009/10 and 2010/11.
	Those young people who were successful in applying for EMA for the 2010/11 academic year and who were assessed as most in need and therefore granted the full £30 a week EMA are still eligible for support until the end of the 2011/12 academic year at the amount of £20 per week.
	The 16-19 Bursary is designed to help support those young people who face the greatest barriers to continuing in education or training post-16.
	The most vulnerable young people will be eligible for a bursary of at least £1200. This group covers young people who are looked after, care leavers, those in receipt of income support and disabled young people in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.
	Schools, colleges and other providers have received an allocation of funding for the bursary and are free to determine the scale of discretionary bursaries and the frequency of payments for all awards. The bursary is not necessarily distributed to learners at the start of the academic year but is designed to help at the time of actual need. We have published details of the allocations of funding to schools, colleges and other providers and this can be found at the following website:
	http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/YPLA/YPLA-Funding_Allocations_201112-li-Aug11-v1.xls
	This shows allocations arranged by upper tier local authority, so figures for providers serving Bassetlaw will be included under Nottinghamshire. We do not collect information on the individual students to whom bursaries are allocated.

Education: Young People

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of young people aged between 16 and 19 were not in education, employment or training in each (a) region and (b) London borough in each year between (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2010-11.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 13 September 2011
	The official national estimates of the number and proportion of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in England are published by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June. However, these cannot be disaggregated to local authority or regional level.
	We can estimate the number and proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds NEET at a sub-national level using data collected by local authorities. The figures for 16 to 18-year-olds who were NEET in each year between 2006/07 and 2010/11, for England, each region, and for local authorities in London, are shown in the following tables. Note that due to methodological differences, the figure for England does not correspond to the official estimates of NEET published in the SFR.
	
		
			 Average number and  proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds NEET (actual age) 
			  November to January 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			  NEET   (%) Average NEET NEET   (%) Average NEET NEET   (%) Average NEET NEET   (%) Average NEET NEET   (%) Average NEET 
			 England 7.7 122,077 7.8 107,161 6.7 107,970 6.4 101,479 6.0 93,098 
			 South-east 5.6 13,685 6.3 12,852 5.7 14,331 5.8 14,219 5.4 13,147 
			 East of England 6.8 11,947 7.1 10,147 6.2 11,058 5.9 10,455 5.7 10,254 
			 South-west 6.0 9,547 5.9 8,451 5.7 9,035 5.6 25,893 5.3 24,326 
			 West midlands 8.9 15,804 8.8 12,919 7.0 12,738 6.6 35,247 6.2 31,912 
			 East midlands 6.4 8,888 6.7 7,953 5.4 7,819 5.5 23,481 5.4 22,327 
			 Yorks and the Humber 9.3 15,676 8.9 13,923 7.9 13,474 7.8 39,282 7.2 35,201 
			 North-west 8.9 21,045 8.8 19,152 7.8 19,029 7.3 51,483 6.7 45,954 
			 North-east 11.4 9,958 11.7 8,788 9.8 8,755 9.0 23,531 7.9 20,219 
			 Notes: 1. Information on 19-year-olds in the format requested not available for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11. 2. The figures for England presented are calculated by aggregating LA results. They differ from the official DFE estimates of NEET in England reported in a DFE SFR, due to methodological differences. Source: CCIS 
		
	
	
		
			 Average number and  proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds NEET (actual age) 
			  November to January 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			  NEET   (%) Average NEET NEET   (%) Average NEET NEET   (%) Average NEET NEET   (%) Average NEET NEET   (%) Average NEET 
			 London 7.5 15,527 7.4 12,976 5.8 11,731 5.3 10,500 5.0 9,717 
			            
			 Barking and Dagenham 11.4 702 11.5 622 8.9 600 7.9 519 6.9 458 
			 Barnet 4.8 496 5.5 451 4.1 407 3.8 375 3.6 345 
			 Bexley 6.9 477 7.4 437 5.3 350 5.0 326 4.6 300 
			 Brent 6.7 422 6.8 355 4.6 301 4.6 307 5.0 313 
			 Bromley 5.0 499 4.9 472 4.6 478 4.2 444 4.3 445 
			 Camden 7.5 358 7.1 352 6.5 355 5.5 284 6.4 296 
			 City of London 1.1 6 1.8 (1)— 0.6 (1)— 0.6 (1)— 0.2 (1)— 
			 Croydon 8.1 796 8.3 729 7.1 689 6.9 658 6.6 542 
			 Ealing 7.8 483 6.8 326 5.4 331 4.9 301 4.4 278 
			 Enfield 7.0 662 7.7 641 6.4 562 6.1 496 5.8 453 
			 Greenwich 12.0 813 10.1 631 9.5 593 6.6 398 6.2 368 
			 Hackney 13.1 619 14.4 521 10.0 371 7.4 293 6.2 267 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 8.4 267 7.4 187 6.0 183 5.6 184 5.2 159 
			 Haringey 12.5 582 11.7 444 6.8 313 6.8 320 6.6 299 
			 Harrow 5.3 338 3.5 178 3.2 188 2.9 174 2.7 158 
			 Havering 6.1 576 7.4 519 5.2 459 4.7 406 4.0 343 
			 Hillingdon 7.0 686 6.5 490 5.3 442 5.4 448 4.6 382 
			 Hounslow 8.3 577 7.2 406 5.5 339 4.7 304 4.6 279 
			 Islington 8.6 522 10.1 504 7.7 485 7.3 400 6.2 381 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 7.9 178 6.3 157 5.4 154 5.0 118 5.3 143 
			 Kingston 3.4 174 3.2 165 3.2 159 3.4 164 3.1 138 
			 Lambeth 10.5 483 10.3 439 7.9 319 7.6 299 7.4 293 
			 Lewisham 6.7 489 6.5 444 5.5 451 4.9 414 4.7 363 
			 Merton 6.7 188 6.7 154 5.8 149 5.6 146 5.5 152 
			 Newham 10.8 880 11.4 654 7.7 612 6.7 521 6.4 481 
			 Redbridge 4.8 423 5.6 381 4.2 376 4.1 358 4.1 335 
			 Richmond 4.0 141 4.0 83 3.4 104 3.5 116 3.8 114 
			 Southwark 11.7 582 11.7 485 8.8 395 8.7 294 8.4 271 
			 Sutton 4.8 335 5.1 308 4.4 286 4.4 279 4.2 265 
			 Tower Hamlets 10.9 634 11.2 459 6.7 368 6.0 319 5.3 275 
			 Waltham Forest 6.3 514 6.6 453 4.7 391 4.5 353 4.2 307 
			 Wandsworth 6.0 382 4.9 307 4.4 305 4.3 290 4.5 307 
			 Westminster 6.5 245 5.9 217 5.0 212 4.6 188 4.1 207 
			 (1) Values of five or less have been suppressed for reasons of confidentiality. Note: Information on 19-year-olds in the format requested not available for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11 Source: CCIS

Families: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will (a) estimate the proportion of the 120,000 most troubled families in Britain that are resident in Scotland and (b) publish demographic information about such families.

Tim Loughton: Estimates from the Cabinet Office have shown about 2% of families (around 140,000 families) across Britain suffer from multiple problems. Further (unpublished) analysis was commissioned to estimate the number in England which showed that there were around 120,000. We do not have information from that analysis on the proportion resident in Scotland or demographic information about such families. However, data from Census 2001:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/family-demography/focus-on-families/2007/index.html
	shows that 9% of Britain's families live in Scotland—though that is all families, not families with multiple problems.

Family Intervention Programme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many families have participated in the Family Intervention Programme in each year since the establishment of the programme.

Tim Loughton: Official statistics show that 3,518 families were either receiving an intervention or had received support from a family intervention project in England between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010 and 5,461 families between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2011. We do not have this information for previous years.

Family Intervention Programme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many families have participated in the Family Intervention projects in each parliamentary constituency.

Tim Loughton: The Department does not hold this information but there is information provided at local authority level for England, published as official statistics on 14 September 2011:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d001021/index.shtml

Family Intervention Programme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the budget was for Family Intervention Projects in each year since the establishment of such projects; and what the planned budget is for each of the next four years.

Tim Loughton: The Government allocated £9,049,684 in 2007-08, £11,201,586 in 2008-09, £33,604,489 in 2009-10, £49,789,569 in 2010-11 and £46 million in 2011-12 for family intervention projects/services. The ring fence for this funding was removed in May 2010 and the funding for 2011-12 was included within DFE's Early Intervention Grant. This means that the actual amount spent in 2011-12 could be more or less than the amount allocated. Information about the actual amount spent is not collected. The budget for the next four years has not been decided yet.

Free School Meals

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many of the 200 lowest performing primary schools which will become academies (a) have more than 40 per cent. of pupils eligible for free school meals, (b) are in the most deprived third of primary schools measured by the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index of Area Deprivation, (c) have more than 40 per cent. of pupils eligible for free school meals and are in the most deprived third of primary schools and (d) were in each Ofsted grade category in their most recent inspection report.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not intend to publish the characteristics of the 200 schools that have been below the primary school floor standard for the last five years.

Free School Meals: Yorkshire and Humberside

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people in (a) York, (b) North Yorkshire, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) England received free school meals in each year since 1997.

Nick Gibb: The available information on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals is shown in the tables.
	Information is not available prior to 2002 as pupil level data was not collected.
	
		
			 Maintained nursery, state-funded primary  (1, 2)  ,  ()  state-funded secondary  (1, 3)  , special schools  (4)   and pupil referral units  (5)  , number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals, January each year 
			 York local authority area 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools  (1, 2) State-funded secondary schools  (1, 3) Special schools  (4) 
			  Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 13,201 1,460 11.1 9,205 852 9.3 276 84 30.4 
			 2003 12,879 1,332 10.3 9,486 775 8.2 245 64 26.1 
			 2004 12,843 1,380 10.7 9,555 817 8.6 221 51 23.1 
			 2005 12,785 1,333 10.4 9,385 781 8.3 187 37 19.8 
			 2006 12,621 1,338 10.6 9,266 821 8.9 178 44 24.7 
			 2007 12,385 1,288 10.4 9,162 800 8.7 166 42 25.3 
			 2008 12,175 1,203 9.9 8,873 760 8.6 150 37 24.7 
			 2009 12,069 1,236 10.2 8,744 779 8.9 143 38 26.6 
			 2010 12,170 1,339 11.0 8,743 796 9.1 133 30 22.6 
			 2011 12,274 1,468 12.0 8,693 806 9.3 119 27 22.7 
		
	
	
		
			  Pup  il   referral units  (5) Maintained nursery, state-funded primary  (1, 2)  ,  ()  state-funded secondary  (1, 3)  , special schools  (4)   and pupil referral units  (5) 
			  Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 — — — 22,682 2,396 10.6 
			 2003 — — — 22,610 2,171 9.6 
			 2004 — — — 22,619 2,248 9.9 
			 2005 — — — 22,357 2,151 9.6 
		
	
	
		
			 2006 — — — 22,065 2,203 10.0 
			 2007 — — — 21,713 2,130 9.8 
			 2008 — — — 21,198 2,000 9.4 
			 2009 — — — 20,956 2,053 9.8 
			 2010 125 39 31.2 21,171 2,204 10.4 
			 2011 149 54 36.2 21,235 2,355 11.1 
		
	
	
		
			 North   York  shire   local authority area 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools  (1, 2) State-funded secondary schools  (1, 3) Special schools  (4) 
			  Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 45,410 4,014 8.8 35,650 2,354 6.6 498 119 23 9 
			 2003 44,751 3,889 8.7 36,139 2,294 6.3 713 116 16.3 
			 2004 43,885 3,897 8.9 36,429 2,439 6.7 683 108 15.8 
			 2005 43,076 3,615 8.4 36,317 2,402 6.6 696 108 15.5 
			 2006 42,223 3,442 8.2 36,022 2,367 6.6 669 114 17.0 
			 2007 41,524 3,461 8.3 35,457 2,363 6.7 658 111 16.9 
			 2008 41,083 3,379 8.2 34,902 2,352 6.7 646 108 16.7 
			 2009 40,658 3,477 8.6 34,393 2,358 6.9 639 107 16.7 
			 2010 40,323 4,122 10.2 33,922 2,617 7.7 617 122 19.8 
			 2011 40,377 4,191 10.4 33,411 2,609 7.8 613 137 22.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Pup  il   referral units  (5) Maintained nursery, state-funded primary  (1, 2)  ,  ()  state-funded secondary  (1, 3)  , special schools  (4)   and pupil referral units  (5) 
			  Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 — — — 81,558 6,487 8.0 
			 2003 — — — 81,603 6,299 7.7 
			 2004 — — — 80,997 6,444 8.0 
			 2005 — — — 80,089 6,125 7.6 
			 2006 — — — 78,914 5,923 7.5 
			 2007 — — — 77,639 5,935 7.6 
			 2008 — — — 76,631 5,839 7.6 
			 2009 — — — 75,690 5,942 7.9 
			 2010 66 10 15.2 74,928 6,871 9.2 
			 2011 46 3 6.5 74,447 6,940 9.3 
		
	
	
		
			 York  shire  and the Humber 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools  (1, 2) State-funded secondary schools  (1, 3) Special schools  (4) 
			  Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 431,015 84,905 19.7 312,420 53,930 17.3 6,585 2,765 42.0 
			 2003 424,145 80,955 19.1 316,080 53,165 16.8 7,060 2,715 38.5 
			 2004 415,765 79,770 19.2 317,955 51,805 16.3 6,845 2,625 38.4 
			 2005 410,570 75,900 18.5 315,715 50,885 16.1 6,650 2,410 36.2 
			 2006 404,205 69,430 17.2 313,890 48,460 15.4 6,615 2,230 33.7 
			 2007 398,295 68,345 17.2 309,795 46,500 15.0 6,535 2,145 32.8 
			 2008 394,575 67,270 17.0 304,190 45,540 15.0 6,570 2,100 32.0 
			 2009 393,310 69,205 17.6 298,370 45,085 15.1 6,510 2,190 33.6 
		
	
	
		
			 2010 394,640 76,030 19.3 294,380 47,180 16.0 6,365 2,185 34.3 
			 2011 397,300 78,345 19.7 290,395 47,240 16.3 6,270 2,290 36.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Pup  il   referral units  (5) Maintained nursery, state-funded primary  (1, 2)  ,  ()  state-funded secondary  (1, 3)  , special schools  (4)   and pupil referral units  (5) 
			  Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 — — — 750,020 141,600 18.9 
			 2003 — — — 747,280 136,835 18.3 
			 2004 — — — 740,570 134,200 18.1 
			 2005 — — — 732,935 129,190 17.6 
			 2006 — — — 724,715 120,120 16.6 
			 2007 — — — 714,630 116,985 16.4 
			 2008 — — — 705,335 114,910 16.3 
			 2009 — — — 698,190 116,480 16.7 
			 2010 1,195 445 37.8 696,580 125,835 18.0 
			 2011 1,355 480 35.4 693,965 127,875 18.4 
		
	
	
		
			 England 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools  (1, 2) State-funded secondary schools  (1, 3) Special schools  (4) 
			  Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 4,064,895 741,495 18.2 2,953,655 469,760 15.9 77,785 30,305 39.0 
			 2003 4,023,395 719,425 17.9 2,992,635 463,600 15.5 84,240 30,615 36.3 
			 2004 3,977,530 730,420 18.4 3,010,100 464,425 15.4 81,825 30,245 37.0 
			 2005 3,939,755 708,245 18.0 2,993,920 453,390 15.1 80,240 27,955 34.8 
			 2006 3,899,450 664,980 17.1 2,985,905 439,125 14.7 79,310 26,690 33.7 
			 2007 3,860,420 654,290 16.9 2,955,210 425,110 14.4 78,760 26,290 33.4 
			 2008 3,837,680 637,170 16.6 2,913,725 413,365 14.2 78,265 25,705 32.8 
			 2009 3,825,475 652,305 17.1 2,883,245 417,970 14.5 78,030 26,245 33.6 
			 2010 3,838,680 711,405 18.5 2,864,345 441,145 15.4 78,335 27,325 34.9 
			 2011 3,873,175 743,255 19.2 2,837,825 450,275 15.9 79,030 28,830 36.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Pup  il   referral units  (5) Maintained nursery, state-funded primary  (1, 2)  ,  ()  state-funded secondary  (1, 3)  , special schools  (4)   and pupil referral units  (5) 
			  Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll  (6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  (6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 — — — 7,096,340 1,241,560 17.5 
			 2003 — — — 7,100,265 1,213,635 17.1 
			 2004 — — — 7,069,450 1,225,090 17.3 
			 2005 — — — 7,013,915 1,189,590 17.0 
			 2006 — — — 6,964,660 1,130,790 16.2 
			 2007 — — — 6,894,390 1,105,690 16.0 
			 2008 — — — 6,829,670 1,076,240 15.8 
			 2009 — — — 6,786,750 1,096,525 16.2 
			 2010 15,140 5,050 33.3 6,796,500 1,184,920 17.4 
		
	
	
		
			 2011 13,725 4,745 34.6 6,803,755 1,227,110 18.0 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes primary academies. (3) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (4) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (5) Comparable information for pupil referral units is not available prior to 2010 (when the collection became pupil-level). (6) Includes sole and dual (main) registrations. In pupil referral units also includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. (7) Includes pupils who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part-time attendance and are aged between five and 15 (age as at 31 August). Note: National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: School Census. 
		
	
	The latest information, for January 2011, on free school meal eligibility and other school and pupil information can be found in the “Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics: January 2011” Statistical First Release at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001012/index.shtml

Free Schools

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  for what reasons he has extended his Department's contract to provide support for the free school pre-application process;
	(2)  who was involved in taking the decision to extend his Department's contract for providing support on the free school pre-application process;
	(3)  who composed the advertisement on his Department's website for the contract to provide support in the free school pre-application process;
	(4)  which Minister of his Department was responsible for the decision to extend the contract to provide support for the free school pre-application process;
	(5)  when the New School Network was advised that the contract for providing support for the free school pre-application process had been extended.

Nick Gibb: We formally agreed with the New Schools Network in June 2011 that the original grant agreement was being extended by two months, without additional funding, to 30 September 2011. The decision to extend was made by the Under-Secretary of State for Schools, my noble Friend Lord Hill of Oareford, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), following advice from officials. It allowed the Department to evaluate the level and quality of support provided to proposers as part of the new process for the second wave of applications before finalising the specification for the competitive grant process that was recently launched. The advertisement on the Department's website for the competitive grant process was written by officials.

Free Schools

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what the names are of the organisations and individuals consulted by each of the free schools that opened in September 2011 in accordance with the duty to consult under section 10 of the Academies Act 2010;
	(2)  if he will publish the results of each consultation undertaken under section 10 of the Academies Act 2010 by the free schools that opened in September 2011.

Nick Gibb: The duty to consult under section 10 of the Academies Act 2010 is on the academy trust of a free school, not the Department. The Department does not hold a central record of all of the organisations and individuals consulted as part of the establishment of the free schools opened this month. It is for the individual academy trusts to decide whether to publish the results of their consultations.

Free Schools

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the budget is of his Department's free schools group for 2011-12.

Nick Gibb: The budget allocation for free schools for 2011-12 has yet to be finalised and is partly dependent on the number of high quality free school proposals that are approved to open in September 2012.

Free Schools

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education from which geographic areas applications have been made to establish free schools to date.

Nick Gibb: Applications to establish free schools have been received from every region in England.

Free Schools: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications for free schools funding he has received from Ashfield constituency.

Nick Gibb: To date, the Department for Education has not received any applications for free schools proposing to be located in Ashfield constituency.

Free Schools: Inspections

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans Ofsted has to inspect free schools.

Nick Gibb: Free schools are subject to inspection by Ofsted under the same arrangements as those that apply to other academies and maintained schools.

Free Schools: Teachers

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of teachers in each free school do not have a teaching qualification or qualified teacher status.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education does not currently hold this information. Free schools are required to take part in statutory data collection exercises, including the School Workforce Census which collects data on teaching staff. The first such data collection exercises for free schools that opened in September 2011 will take place during this academic year and the resulting data will be published on the Department's website.

GCSE

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of children achieved GCSE grade A* to C in (a) ICT, (b) classical civilisation and (c) business studies in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010 and (iii) 2011.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 7 September 2011
	The available information is given in the following table. Provisional figures for 2011 will be published in October 2011.
	
		
			 Number and percentage of pupils achieving GCSE grade A*-C in selected subjects, 2009 and 2010 
			  ICT Classical   c  ivilisation Business   s  tudies 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 2009 39,400 6.2 3,200 0.5 48,200 7.6 
			 2010 32,900 5.1 3,500 0.5 46,900 7.3 
			 Notes: 1. Source: School and College Performance Tables. 2. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. All figures are final.

Manpower

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what sub-departments there are within his Department; and how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in each.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 13 September) 2011
	Sub-departments are known as directorates and the latest published information for the Department (as at 31 August 2011) is available in the following table:
	
		
			 Directorate Total FTE 
			 Children Young People and Families 526 503.0 
			 Education Standards 970 925.9 
			 Finance and Strategy 168 161.5 
			 Infrastructure and Funding 809 767.1 
			 Private Office 64 63.1 
			 internal Audit 28 27.0 
			 Legal 3 3.0 
			 Total 2,568 2,450.6

National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics: Manpower

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) managers and (b) operational staff there are at the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.

Nick Gibb: The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics is currently receiving funding for 3.8 full-time equivalent managerial staff undertaken by five members of staff, and five full-time equivalent operational staff undertaken by seven members of staff. This does not include the part-time director role occupied by Professor Celia Hoyles who is seconded from the Institute of Education.

New Schools Network

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with Cabinet Office colleagues regarding the award of Government funding to the New Schools Network.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 8 September 2011
	The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has not had any discussions with Cabinet Office colleagues on this matter.

New Schools Network: Finance

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the reasons were for establishing a grant agreement between his Department and the New Schools Network.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 12 September 2011
	The experience of the Academies programme indicates that the support requirements for some promoters, such as new parent groups, could be significant, particularly in the first few months. Some of this function is most appropriately provided by an external organisation, which also distinguishes the roles of promoting and encouraging free school projects from the role of approving them. The Department considered carefully the options for securing the requisite services from an external organisation. Given the need for specialist skills and experience to be in place quickly, it was decided to award a time limited grant to the New Schools Network (NSN).
	NSN has championed the development of parent and teacher promoted schools and has been providing advice and support to those interested in establishing new schools, including many of those that have gone on to form the first free schools to open, since 2009. It has also been developing networks among interested groups and individuals. This experience made it ideally placed to fulfil the role and no other organisation had similar experience. The Department has given similar grants in the past, such as to the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, the Youth Sport Trust, Holocaust Educational Trust and the National Literacy Trust.

Nurseries

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many nursery places there were at (a) maintained, (b) private, (c) voluntary and (d) independent Ofsted-registered providers in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2004-05, (iii) 2005-06 and (iv) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Sarah Teather: The Childcare and Early Years Provider Survey collects information on a regular basis on the number and characteristics of Ofsted registered places amongst childcare and early years providers, including their ownership. Data is not collected on independent Ofsted registered providers.
	In 2001, the estimated total number of nursery places was 335,300 and the total number of places for playgroups and pre-schools was 360,900. Data on ownership is not available for 2001. Figures for 2001 are not directly comparable with subsequent years as there was a change to the question about child care places and a change in the definition of provider types.
	The following tables provide the number of Ofsted registered places in full day care and sessional settings by ownership for 2005 to 2010, the most recent year for which these figures are available.
	
		
			 Number of Ofsted registered places by ownership 
			 Full day care 
			  2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 
			 Total number of places 716,700 647,800 620,700 596,500 544,200 511,100 
			        
			 Private or voluntary 626,400 567,500 535,600 510,200 477,900 379,500 
			 Private 464,200 466,900 436,700 417,300 379,400 303,000 
			 Voluntary 162,300 100,600 98,900 92,900 99,700 77,600 
			        
			 Maintained 83,800 63,400 62,900 67,200 54,300 69,800 
			 Local authority 46,200 28,200 29,800 32,600 30,600 49,100 
			 School/college 37,500 35,200 33,100 34,600 24,000 20,800 
			        
		
	
	
		
			 Other 14,400 16,100 26,100 14,500 14,500 41,600 
			 Note: Full day care settings are defined as 'facilities that provide day care for children under eight for a continuous period of four hours or more in any day in premises which are not domestic premises'. Base: Child care providers 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005. Sources: 1. Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2010. DFE: OSR17/2011 2. Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2009. DFE RR-012 
		
	
	
		
			 Sessional 
			  2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 
			 Total number of places 251,000 227,900 243,500 248,100 278,300 265,400 
			        
			 Private or Voluntary 238,500 216,700 226,800 232,000 265,700 229,200 
			 Private 91,200 67,900 71,400 70,200 83,000 81,700 
			 Voluntary 147,300 148,800 155,400 161,700 183,500 49,300 
			        
			 Maintained 17,200 10,300 14,200 15,400 12,800 11,300 
			 Local authority 10,200 5,600 7,700 8,600 9,600 7,200 
			 School/college 6,900 4,700 6,500 6,800 3,200 4,100 
			        
			 Other 2,600 2,000 3,800 3,300 700 8,300 
			 Note: Sessional care is defined as 'facilities where children under eight attend day care for no more than five sessions a week, each session being less than a continuous period of four hours in any day. Where two sessions are offered in any one day, there is a break between sessions with no children in the care of the provider'. Base: Child care providers 2010, 009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005. Sources: 1. Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2010. DFE OSR17/2011 2. Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2009. DFE RR-012

Pupils: Attendance

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to improve school attendance.

Nick Gibb: We are taking a number of steps to improve school attendance. In particular we have reduced the threshold at which a pupil is defined as persistently absent to where a pupil is absent for more than 15% of their schooling, down from 20%. We will continue to look at the possibility of further lowering the threshold over time.
	There are a range of parental responsibility measures available to tackle poor attendance, which include parenting contracts; parenting orders; penalty notices; and prosecutions. Charlie Taylor, the Department's independent adviser on school behaviour, along with a team of teaching professionals, will be undertaking a review of these measures in order to make them more effective and to encourage schools to make more use of them.
	We will be publishing school level absence data in both the combined autumn and spring term and annual statistical releases.
	As part of the new Ofsted inspections framework inspectors will, from January 2012, be looking at school attendance as part the wider behaviour strand of the framework.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children and young people have been sent to each pupil referral unit in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: Information on pupils attending each pupil referral unit (PRU) in England for each of the past five years has been placed in the House Libraries. The information relates to pupils registered at a PRU at the census date, third Thursday in January.
	In 2010 a finer breakdown of the different registration types was introduced and this is reflected in the tables.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the level of spending by local authorities on youth activities.

Tim Loughton: The Department recently received returns from local authorities in England showing planned spend on education and children's services in 2011-12. These suggest that local authorities plan to spend a total of £883 million on services for young people this year which include: youth work; positive activities; information, advice and guidance; substance misuse and teenage pregnancy reduction; and discretionary awards and student support. This represents a 25% reduction on planned spend in 2010-11.
	Some youth activities are funded from local authority youth justice budgets. Including total spend on youth justice, planned spend in 2011-12 is £1,245 million, a reduction of 20% on planned spend in 2010-11.
	Decisions on levels of spending on services for young people are for local authorities to make. The Government encourage local authorities to invest in evidence-based early intervention strategies to improve outcomes for disadvantaged young people, and to avoid reductions likely to lead to higher costs in future years.

Schools: Admissions

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to allow good schools to expand by increasing pupil numbers.

Nick Gibb: We consulted nationally between 27 May and 19 August on revised school admissions and appeals codes. As part of that consultation we proposed to relax the current regulations that restrict schools' ability to increase their Published Admission Number (PAN). The changes would enable schools, where they are able and willing to do so, to increase their PAN with far fewer restrictions than at present.
	We are carefully analysing the responses to the consultation and intend to publish the departmental response, along with the revised codes, in due course.

Schools: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils attended schools in Ashfield constituency in each year since 2007.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 All schools: Number of pupils by type of school, Ashfield constituency. January each year: 2007  -  11 
			 Number (headcount) of pupils  (5) 
			  Nursery   
			  Maintained Direct grant Total State-funded primary  (1,2) State-funded secondary  (1,3) 
			 2007 142 n/a 142 8,549 6,765 
			 2008 136 n/a 136 8,195 6,772 
			 2009 129 n/a 129 8,378 6,639 
			 2010 139 n/a 139 8,325 6,623 
			 2011 101 n/a 101 8,355 6,520 
		
	
	
		
			 Number (headcount) of pupils  (5) 
			  Special    
			  Maintained  (4) Non-maintained Total Pupil referral units Independent All schools 
			 2007 149 n/a 149 n/a 149 15,354 
			 2008 155 n/a 155 n/a 155 15,714 
			 2009 145 n/a 145 n/a 142 15,433 
			 2010 151 n/a 151 n/a 126 15,366 
			 2011 156 n/a 156 n/a 73 15,205 
			 n/a = not applicable. No schools at this type. (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes primary academies. (3) Includes city technology colleges and secondary academies including all-through academies. (4) Includes general hospital schools. (5) Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. In PRUs. also includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. Source: School Census

Schools: Assessments

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many (a) letters and (b) emails he has received from Ofqual concerning examination paper errors since May 2011; and how many such items of correspondence he has responded to;
	(2)  how many students sat (a) a GCSE and (b) an A-level paper that contained an error in a question for each (i) subject and (ii) examination board in 2011;
	(3)  on what dates his Department has reviewed examination paper errors since April 2011.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has had a number of updates from the chief executive of Ofqual on this matter, and respective officials have stayed in touch regularly, both in person and using various media.
	Both the Secretary of State and I met with Ofqual on a number of occasions to discuss the issue and also received regular briefings from Ofqual.
	We estimate that 138,782 individual papers may have contained errors from a total of around 15.7 million that were sat. This equates to less than 1% of papers which may have contained an error.
	However, the total number of papers containing errors will be not be confirmed until Ofqual report on the summer 2011 appeals against results for GCSE and GCE, which is due to be published early in 2012. Predictions now on the total number of papers, and the subsequent number of students affected by the errors would not be wholly reliable.

Schools: City of York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent on average per child on (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils in state schools in the City of York (i) in cash terms and (ii) at constant prices in each year since 1996-97.

Nick Gibb: The information is as follows:
	
		
			 Per pupil spend in primary and secondary schools in City of York from 1996 to 2009  (1,2) 
			  Cash terms expenditure per pupil in City of York Real terms expenditure per pupil in City of York 
			  Primary education Pre-primary and primary education  (3) Secondary education Primary education Pre-primary and primary education  (1) Secondary education 
			 1996-97 — 1,540 2,210 — 2,210 3,020 
			 1997-98 — 1,600 2,350 — 2,130 3,130 
			 1998-99 — 1,730 2,460 — 2,250 3,210 
			 1999-2000 1,760 — 2,430 2,250 — 3,110 
			 2000-01 1,860 — 2,640 2,340 — 3,330 
			 2001-02 2,180 — 2,830 2,690 — 3,490 
			 2002-03(4,5) 2,390 — 3,080 2,860 — 3,680 
			 2003-04 2,560 — 3,330 2,970 — 3,870 
			 2004-05 2,680 — 3,660 3,040 — 4,140 
			 2005-06 2,930 — 3,860 3,260 — 4,280 
			 2006-07 3,140 — 3,970 3,370 — 4,260 
			 2007-08 3,290 — 4,190 3,430 — 4,380 
			 2008-09 3,490 — 4,570 3,540 — 4,640 
			 2009-10 3,590 — 4,750 3,590 — 4,750 
			 (1) Pupil numbers include only those pupils attending local authority maintained primary schools and are drawn from the DFE Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis. (2) Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. (3) Expenditure was not distinguished between the pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of Section 251 for financial year 1999-2000. (4) 1999-2000 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the ODPM to the Section 251 form from the DFE. 2002-03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables. The change in sources is shown by the dotted line. From 2002-03 school based expenditure is taken from Section 251 Outturn Table A line 51 net current expenditure (NCE). For 2001-02 and earlier years the expenditure is calculated as lines 1 to 12 less lines 29, 30, 35 and 37. This differs from the old Net Institutional Expenditure (NIE) calculation only in the treatment of meals and milk which is no longer excluded and no adjustments for balances are now made. This is taken from Section 251 Outturn Table 3 for 1999-00 to 2001-02 and from the RO1 form previously. (5) The calculation for 2002-03 onwards is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001-02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses. In 2001-02 this accounted for approximately £70 per pupil. From 2002-03 onwards only the schools element of these categories is included and this accounted for approximately £50 per pupil of the 2002-03 total. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002-03, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources. Notes: 1. School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by the schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. 2. Base year for real terms prices is 2009-10 financial year.

Schools: Devon

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on (a) primary and (b) secondary school education in Devon in 2010.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education allocates education funding to local authorities via the Dedicated Schools Grant and separate Standards Fund grants. In 2010-11, the Department allocated £4,700 per pupil. This figure relates to pupils aged three to 19. This is slightly higher than the Guaranteed Unit of Funding for 2011-12 (which is £4,602.77) because the 2010-11 allocation included £20 for sixth formers and £80 from the ending of grants which were not mainstreamed this year (such as Targeted Improvement Grant, Music, Foundation Learning and National Challenge). As the Dedicated Schools Grant is a mechanism for distributing funding, a split between primary and secondary schools is not available. But in 2010-11 Devon county council delegated on average £3,251 per pupil to its primary schools and £4,148 to its secondary schools.

Schools: Devon

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the guaranteed level of funding per pupil was for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Devon in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The Guaranteed Unit of Funding for Devon in 2011-12 is £4,602 per pupil. The Department for Education allocates this funding to Devon and it is for the authority to delegate this funding to the schools in their area through their local funding formula to best meet the individual needs and pressures of their schools. It also pays for the free entitlement to early education for three and four-year-olds, and for services retained by the local authority, such as support for high needs pupils.
	The level of funding of the pupil premium in 2011-12 is £430 per pupil for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, £430 per pupil for looked after children and £200 per pupil for service children. According to the figures recorded on the January 2011 School Census, Devon will receive £4.86 million for the pupil premium.

Schools: Finance

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the size of his Department's schools budget in each of the next four years required to increase schools spending by 0.7 per cent. in real terms in each of those years.

Tim Loughton: The estimate of the schools budget were it to be increased by 0.7% in real terms in each of the next four years is set out in the following table. To calculate this the Budget 2011 GDP deflators have been used. For information these are also set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial year School baseline in cash terms (uprated at 0.7% per annum plus inflation) (£ million) GDP deflator (Budget 2011) 
			 2011-12 37,400 1.000 
			 2012-13 38,603 1.025 
			 2013-14 39,923 1.053 
			 2014-15 41,288 1.081 
			 2015-16 42,700 1.110

Schools: Finance

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made in conducting its full survey of the school estate in (a) England and (b) Hertfordshire;
	(2)  what progress his Department has made on identifying expenditure on capital maintenance at school level; what assessment he has made of the value for money of such expenditure; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  with reference to the Review of Education Capital, April 2011, what progress has been made on implementing a national contract for maintenance and small capital projects.

Nick Gibb: The Department is currently consulting on key recommendations of the Review of Education Capital, including on gathering existing condition data and carrying out a full survey of the school estate; and on the implementation of a national contract for maintenance and small capital projects. The consultation will close on 11 October. We want to progress swiftly with the collection of condition data and our provisional timetable suggests surveys would start in April 2012 and be completed by late 2013. We will consider the findings of the consultation before making decisions about national contracts.
	The review proposes that the Department maximises value for money delivered through maintenance and small projects and puts in place a clear national contract to make this happen. Overall, we wish to move to the model the review proposes, but we are aware that there are currently local and regional procurement models in place which claim to be delivering on time and with value for money. Some of these may involve contractual arrangements which cannot immediately be changed. This is why we are consulting on this issue to explore the potential and benefits before implementing any change and we do not want to pre-judge the outcome of the consultation.
	No information is collected on capital maintenance spend at school level. Local authorities and other local partners make their own decisions on investment maintenance for their buildings based on their own assessment of need. Also, revenue funding can be used to support routine maintenance of buildings.

Schools: Finance

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress his Department has made on the introduction of the national funding formula; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: In July we launched a consultation on school funding; this closes on 11 October. We will consider the responses carefully before making decisions on a new funding formula for schools.

Schools: Flags

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he has given to schools on flying the Union flag on (a) a regular basis, (b) specific national occasions and (c) occasional special events; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Department has not issued any guidance to schools on flying the Union flag. This is consistent with our overall strategy to increase schools' autonomy and to reduce the burden of guidance. Too much guidance can overwhelm school staff and stifle innovation. That is why we have reduced the amount of guidance for schools by 6,000 pages since May 2010.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is responsible for issuing guidance for hoisting the Union flag on UK Government buildings. However, individuals, local authorities, schools and other organisations may fly any flag they wish, subject to compliance with any local planning requirement.
	Guidance on flying the Union flag can be accessed on the following hyperlink:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/honours/7124.aspx

Schools: Overseas Students

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the (a) number and (b) country of origin of foreign nationals who have attended (i) an independent and (ii) a maintained school in each of the last five academic years.

Nick Gibb: Information on the country of origin of pupils is not centrally collected.
	The latest information on the ethnic origin of pupils can be found in Table 4 of the ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics: January 2011’ Statistical First Release at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001012/index.shtml

Schools: Sports

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the budget was for school sport partnerships in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12.

Tim Loughton: The Department's budget for the School Sports Partnerships programme for the years 2008-09 to 2010-11 is set out in the following table. The programme finished in July 2011 and therefore no grant payments were made in 2011-12.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2008-09 113,214,939 
			 2009-10 116,030,709 
			 2010-11 102,528,267 
		
	
	However, new funding of £65 million is now being made available to enable schools to provide more opportunities for competitive sport. This grant covers the next two school years and will pay for one day a week of a secondary PE teacher's time to be spent out of the classroom to encourage greater take-up of competitive sport in primary schools and increase the amount of intra- and inter- school sporting competition for all pupils.

Schools: Transport

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with local education authorities on his proposal no longer to include questions on mode of travel in the School Census;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's Information about Children, Education and Schools Bulletin issue 50, for what reason he proposes that questions on mode of travel should no longer be included in the School Census.

Tim Loughton: This Government are committed to reducing the bureaucracy and burdens facing our front line services. Following a review of the data collected through the Schools Census, carried out in partnership with representative schools and local authorities, the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), agreed to remove a number of items, including questions on mode of travel.
	The Department introduced 'Usual Mode of Travel' into the School Census in 2007 primarily to inform the Travelling to School Initiative (TTSI), which was a project to encourage more children to travel to school sustainably. The data was used to inform schools completing a travel plan. As the TTSI ended on 31 March 2010, the Department no longer has any need to collect this data. However, if local authorities wish they can continue to collect such travel data locally.

Schools: Wirral

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funds (a) were and (b) are to be made available to schools in Wirral in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14 and (v) 2014-15.

Nick Gibb: Information on the funding available to Wirral's maintained schools is provided in the authority's annual section 251 budget return. This shows that Wirral's schools budget is £193.8 million in 2010-11 and £217.8 million in 2011-12.
	Academies are funded via the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) using the authority's local school funding formula to ensure that academies and maintained schools are funded on a fair and comparable basis. In 2010-11, Birkenhead High School Academy was funded £4.5 million by the YPLA. In 2011-12 Birkenhead High School Academy and the University Academy Birkenhead have been allocated a total of £12 million.
	2012-13 local authority allocations will be announced in the autumn.
	The Department is currently consulting on a series of proposals to reform the school funding system which will affect the allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15. The consultation will close on 11 October 2011. The consultation document is available via the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/a00192415/consultation-on-school-funding-reform-proposals-for-a-fairer-system

Sure Start Children's Centres: City of York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) children and (b) families are in receipt of support from Sure Start Children's Centres in York.

Sarah Teather: The Department does not collect this information. Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient children's centres in their area to meet local need, so far as is reasonably practicable. It is for local authorities to commission children's centres and to monitor and evaluate the use and impact of their services.

Vocational Guidance: Greater London

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the level of careers advice services local authorities in each London borough are planning to provide in response to the ending of the connexions service.

John Hayes: holding answer 7 September 2011
	The Department for Education does not hold information on the services local authorities are planning to provide to fulfil their responsibility to enable, encourage or assist young people's participation in education or training.

WORK AND PENSIONS

A New Approach to Child Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the additional research referred to in paragraph 1.5 of his Department's publication A New Approach to Child Poverty.

Maria Miller: Copies of Dr Tess Ridge's research ‘Living with Poverty’ and The Office of the Children's Commissioner's report ‘Trying to Get By’ have been placed in the Library.

Access to Work Programme

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the contract to private providers under the work programme has been weighted to help families with multiple problems.

Chris Grayling: The private, voluntary and public sector organisations delivering the Work programme are free to innovate and design support that addresses the needs of individuals, taking full account of their circumstances as well as that of the local labour market.
	Providers will be paid primarily for the results they achieve in supporting people into sustained employment. They will be paid more to support those who are particularly disadvantaged in the labour market—up to around £14,000 for the hardest to help rather than around £3,000 for a typical jobseekers' allowance claimant. Where a couple have a joint JSA claim and one partner is referred to a Work programme provider, the other partner will be fast-tracked and referred simultaneously to the same provider, facilitating an holistic approach to employment support.
	Turning around the lives of families with multiple problems is a high priority across Government, and DWP is exploring ways to further integrate the Work programme with the overall strategy.
	Outside the Work programme, DWP is using around £200 million of funding it receives from the European Social Fund (ESF) to help families with multiple problems overcome barriers to employment. The provision will be voluntary and will add value to other existing provision for these families within the area. It will be available in England only. ESF provision has been designed to align with the Work programme. This will enable eligible customers to receive continuity of support through ESF and then Work programme provision.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what regulations his Department introduced between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011; and what the estimated costs of implementation were for those affected in each case.

Chris Grayling: The information is contained in the following table.
	
		
			 SI number Title Made Laid Coming into force 
			 2011/686 The Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 3 March 2011 10 March 2011 6 April 2011 
			 2011/688 The Jobseeker's Allowance (Mandatory Work Activity Scheme) Regulations 2011 9 March 2011 14 March 2011 6 April 2011 
			 2011/725 The Statutory Maternity Pay (Compensation of Employers) Amendment Regulations 2011 9 March 2011 14 March 2011 6 April 2011 
			 2011/726 The Pension Protection Fund (Pensions on Divorce etc: Charges) Regulations 2011 10 March 2011 15 March 2011 6 April 2011 
			 2011/731 The Pension Protection Fund (Pension Compensation Sharing and Attachment on Divorce etc) Regulations 2011 10 March 2011 15 March 2011 6 April 2011 
			 2011/786 The Social Security (Deferral of Retirement Pensions) (Amendment) Regulations 2011' 15 March 2011 15 March 2011 5 April 2011 
			 2011/789 The Jobseeker's Allowance (Work Experience) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 14 March 2011 26 January 2011 5 April 2011 
			 2011/830 The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2011 17 March 2011 21 March 2011 11 April 2011 
			 2011/839 The Financial Assistance Scheme (Revaluation and Indexation Amendments) Regulations 2011 17 March 2011 31 January 2011 31 March 2011 
			 2011/917 The Jobseeker's Allowance (Employment, Skills and Enterprise Scheme) Regulations 2011 28 March 2011 31 March 2011 20 May 2011 
			 2011/1024 The Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 31 March 2011 3 February 2011 1 April 2011 
			 2011/1026 The Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 31 March 2011 3 February 2011 1 April 2011 
			 2011/1245 The Pensions Act 2007 (Abolition of Contracting-out for Defined Contribution Pension Schemes) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2011 12 May 2011 16 May 2011 6 April 2012 
		
	
	
		
			 2011/1294 The Occupational Pension Schemes (Contracting-out) Amendment Regulations 2011 18 May 2011 23 May 2011 1 October 2011 
			 2011/1349 The Employment and Support Allowance (Work-Related Activity) Regulations 2011 26 May 2011 28 February 2011 1 June 2011 
		
	
	The Department publishes impact assessments for regulation that has a cost to or benefit for business, civil society organisations or the public sector and copies of these are placed in the Library of the House.

Disability Living Allowance: Autism

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects in reductions in entitlement to disability living allowance on those suffering from autism.

Maria Miller: We are still developing the assessment for personal independence payment and it is too early to say what its impact will be. We do, however, believe that the criteria will take better account of the impact of autistic spectrum disorders than the current criteria for disability living allowance, which do not always reflect the needs of disabled people with mental, intellectual, cognitive and development impairments. For example, the introduction of communication is a significant departure from disability living allowance and one which will ensure we better take into account the effect of impairments that impact on sight, hearing, speech and comprehension.
	I have met with the National Autistic Society to hear their views on disability living allowance reform firsthand. We hope to continue working closely with them and other disability organisations as we continue to develop the assessment criteria and move towards implementation of personal independence payment.
	We published our initial proposals for the assessment criteria in May and sought views from disabled people and their organisations on this draft. As part of this officials met with the National Autistic Society and are currently considering the society's written response to the informal consultation. We also tested the initial draft criteria over the summer to enable us to better understand their likely impact, which included specifically looking at how they affected people with autistic spectrum disorders. Once we have considered both the feedback received and the findings from the testing, we intend to publish a second draft of the assessment criteria later in the autumn.

Disability Living Allowance: Diseases

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received disability living allowance for care needs or mobility restrictions resulting from sickle cell disease or thalassaemia in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Maria Miller: The information is not available in the format requested. Sickle cell disease and thalassaemia are categorised as part of the blood disorders group. The information relating to numbers of disability living allowance recipients where blood disorder is listed as the main disabling condition for each of the years requested is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 Disability living allowance mobility component in payment with blood disorders as the main disabling condition 
			  Great Britain and abroad Higher Lower Nil 
			 November 2010 6,200 4,500 500 1,200 
			 November 2009 6,200 4,300 500 1,400 
			 November 2008 6,400 4,200 600 1,600 
		
	
	
		
			 Disability living allowance care component in payment with blood disorders as the main disabling condition 
			  Great Britain and abroad Higher Middle Lower Nil 
			 November 2010 6,200 2,200 2,000 1,100 900 
			 November 2009 6,200 2,200 2,100 1,100 800 
			 November 2008 6,400 2,100 2,100 1,300 900 
			 Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Figures are adjusted to be consistent with the overall caseload from the WPLS. 3. The preferred data source for benefit statistics is 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. However, the 5% sample data are generally the preferred source for analysis on disabling condition as information is more complete for disabling condition on the 5% sample (Some recipients of DLA who transferred from the AA system may not have been allocated a specific disabling condition code. This problem can be corrected on the sample data but not on the WPLS data. The number of cases affected is decreasing over time). 4. A diagnosed medical condition does not mean that someone is automatically entitled to DLA. Entitlement is dependent on an assessment of how much help someone needs with personal care and/or mobility because of their disability. These statistics are only collected for administrative purposes. 5. This blood disorders group includes also includes conditions such as anaemia. 6. DLA recipients may be in receipt of both the mobility and care components. In November 2010 for example around about two thirds of recipients with a main disabling condition of ‘Blood Disorders’ are in receipt of both components. Source: DWP Information Directorate: Sample data (5%)

Disability: Atos Healthcare

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will discuss with Atos Healthcare the (a) availability of disabled parking at and (b) accessibility to disabled access to the employment and support allowance Atos assessment centre in Romford.

Chris Grayling: Blackburn House, where Romford Medical Examination Centre (MEC) is situated in the middle of Romford, has no visitor parking on site although there are two parking bays for use by blue badge holders in Eastern road close to the MEC entrance. There are several secure car parks nearby, including the Liberty multi-story car park on Western road, which has designated spaces for disabled drivers.
	With regard to disabled access to the MEC, the landlord has recently installed a new entrance door with a release button that will open automatically and there is a security guard available to give assistance to any visitor who requires it.
	Within the MEC there is also an accessible toilet, dual height reception counter and a portable induction loop amongst other measures available to assist disabled people.
	Romford MEC is approved by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as an appropriate location for medical assessments in connection with DWP benefit claims and is a well equipped examination facility.
	The MEC is on the second floor of Blackburn House. Atos Healthcare adheres to DWP health and safety advice; when it is identified prior to assessment that a client will be unable to use stairs to safely evacuate in the event of an emergency, they will either be offered a home visit or an appointment at another convenient MEC. This information is identified from the customer's completed employment and support allowance pre-assessment questionnaire on page 3 where claimants are asked if they are able to get up and down stairs.
	It should also be noted that the map/directions provided with the appointment letter do state that the MEC is located on the second floor and that, in the event of an emergency evacuation, it is 36 steps to the ground floor. Claimants who feel that they would have difficulty in negotiating the 36 steps on their own are asked to contact the Appointments Helpdesk for assistance and if appropriate make an alternative appointment.
	Depending on where the claimant lives, the Medical Examination Centres at Marylebone, Highgate or Chelmsford could all be within the agreed travelling times.
	These MECs all have ground floor facilities. Alternatively, arrangements for a domiciliary visit can be made to carry out the assessment.
	Atos Healthcare are working with DWP to review all non ground floor assessment centres to identify additional ground floor rooms that may become available and, in future the department and ATOS Healthcare have agreed that all new assessment centres will have ground floor assessment rooms.

Disability: Cars

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many specially adapted motor cars for disabled drivers have been provided (a) nationally and (b) to residents of Wiltshire in each of the last five years.

Maria Miller: The Department works closely with Motability but it is an independent charity and is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme. They have agreed to write separately to the hon. Lady with such information as they have available.

Disability: Children

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to assist parents and carers of disabled children to work through the provision of help with disabled child care.

Maria Miller: We are committed to improving choice for and the experience of, families with disabled children. Many parents and carers of disabled children tell us they want to combine paid work with their caring responsibilities, but need access to good quality flexible working. The Government are keen to promote flexible working and have a strong commitment to greater family friendly working practices and have committed, in the coalition agreement, to consult on extending the right to request flexible working to all employees. The public consultation process recently ended and we intend to respond to comments by the end of the year.
	Jobcentre Plus advisers work closely with parents and carers to help them enter the labour market. Advisers can provide a parent or carer with a 'Better Off Calculation' to illustrate how they can be financially better off in work. This calculation includes those elements of tax credits which provide support with child care, including for disabled children.
	Advisers also have access to a discretionary fund to provide financial support for child care and replacement care costs, which the parent or carer may need to address, before moving into work. Support for child care costs and replacement care is available to enable parents and carers to take up training and other work preparation support, while funding is also made available to manage the transition to employment once the parent or carer has been offered employment.
	In March this year, we published a green paper, 'Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability', which set out what the Government will do to support disabled children and their families.
	Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure sufficient child care to meet the needs of parents in their area, to enable them to work, or undertake learning or training leading to work. This duty specifically requires local authorities to secure child care provision for disabled children up to the age of 18, and all local authorities are provided with financial support to meet the duty.
	Support for child care costs will be provided in universal credit by an additional element, and we aim to extend support to those working fewer than 16 hours. We are still considering what rates to set.

Employment and Support Allowance

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2011, Official Report, column 907W, on Employment and Support Allowance, what the equivalent figures are for each benefits area in Wales.

Chris Grayling: During 2009-10 and 2010-11, claimants of employment and support allowance and its predecessor benefits who lived in Wales, could partake in Jobcentre Plus Pathways to Work if they lived in the Jobcentre Plus districts of:
	South Wales Valleys
	South West Wales.
	Those who lived in the Jobcentre Plus districts of:
	North and Mid Wales
	South East Wales
	could be referred from Jobcentre Plus to Action for Employment (A4e) via the Provider-Led Pathways to Work programme, once they had undertaken an initial Work-Focussed Interview with Jobcentre Plus.
	The table shows the number of mandatory and voluntary starts in each quarter of 2009-10 and 2010-11 to: .
	Jobcentre Plus Pathways to Work—for customers who lived in South Wales Valleys and South West Wales Jobcentre Plus districts
	Provider-Led Pathways to Work—for customers who go on to start with A4e in North and Mid Wales and South East Wales Jobcentre Plus districts, after being referred by Jobcentre Plus following their initial Work-Focussed Interview
	(1)
	:
	(1) Source:
	DWP Jobcentre Plus and Provider-Led Pathways databases. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, totals may not sum due to rounding.
	
		
			   Jobcentre Plus Pathways Provider-Led Pathways—A4e 
			 Quarter of starting Pathways with Jobcentre Plus Wales South Wales Valleys South West Wales North and Mid Wales South East Wales 
			 1 April 2009 to 30 June 2009 10,950 4,340 3,850 1,150 1,610 
			 1 July 2009 to 30 September 2009 10,690 4,410 3,790 1,210 1,290 
			 1 October 2009 to 31 December 2009 9,810 3,860 3,380 1,210 1,360 
			 1 January 2010 to 31 March 2010 8,740 4,200 3,610 430 490 
			 1 April 2010 to 30 June 2010 8,090 3,830 3,260 500 500 
			 1 July 2010 to 30 September 2010 7,570 3,650 3,130 410 380 
			 1 October 2010 to 31 December 2010 6,960 3,470 3,020 250 240 
			 1 January 2011 to 31 January 2011 2,320 1,210 1,110 0 0 
			 Total 65,130 28,970 25,140 5,160 5,860 
		
	
	Official statistics are routinely published for employment programmes such as Pathways to Work. Official statistics on Pathways to Work starts and job entries are currently available up to January 2011, and are published at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=ib_ref_p2w

Employment and Support Allowance: Atos Healthcare

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the appeal process is for a claimant of employment and support allowance placed in the work-related activity group, who has been diagnosed by both Atos and a GP as suffering from a degenerative illness.

Chris Grayling: If an employment and support allowance (ESA) claimant disagrees with the outcome of a work capability assessment (WCA), they are able to ask the office who made the decision to explain it, ask to have the decision reconsidered by Jobcentre Plus, or appeal against the decision to an independent tribunal run by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service. This is the case irrespective of the health condition or disability they may have.
	If the claimant wishes to appeal against the decision to an independent tribunal, they will usually need to do this within one month of the decision they are appealing against, although late appeals may be accepted in some circumstances.
	Under the Welfare Reform Bill proposal to require consideration of revision of a decision before an appeal, the claimant would be required to go through the reconsideration process before being able to make an appeal to the tribunal. This new approach would increase the likelihood that the decision to appeal would be informed by the claimant's view of whether reconsideration had provided them with an adequate ‘second opinion’ and a clear justification for the original decision.
	The work capability assessment is based on the premise that eligibility for ESA should not be based on the diagnosis of a specific condition, but rather on the way that the condition limits an individual's functional capability. It takes account of fluctuating and variable conditions and people are given every opportunity to explain how their condition affects them as an individual. As part of the WCA, a healthcare professional will provide advice on when they think a claimant's condition may have changed sufficiently that a review of their circumstances is necessary. The Department uses this advice to decide when to reassess claimants.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to publish his participation strategy to maximise participation of 16 to 24-year-olds in education, training or work.

Chris Grayling: Work on the participation strategy is currently under way and is being led jointly by this Department along with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education. The Ministry of Justice and the Department of Health are also involved. As set out in the Social Mobility document ‘Opening Doors, Breaking Barriers’, it is due to be published autumn 2011 and will consider issues for young people not in employment, education, or training, and the barriers they face.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many sector-based work academies he plans to establish in 2011; and for what areas he proposes they will be responsible.

Chris Grayling: Sector-based work academies are being established in sectors with high volumes of current local vacancies. The model is flexible and can be tailored to meet sector and local needs. As a locally-driven initiative the geographical distribution and number of sector-based work academies will depend on the appetite of employers, training providers and claimants across the Jobcentre Plus districts.
	Jobcentre Plus, working in partnership with local employers and training providers, will determine the most appropriate offer to meet the need of the local labour market. There is no specific target for the number of sector-based work academies to be established in 2011. However, we anticipate the participation of up to 50,000 benefit claimants in sector-based work academies by the end of March 2013.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how his proposed sector-based work academies will be funded; who he proposes may apply to establish such academies; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Jobcentre Plus is seeking to establish partnerships both with local employers in sectors with high volumes of current local vacancies and with training providers, to establish sector-based work academies that meet the needs of the local labour market. The Department for Work and Pensions has allocated £13.1 million to support the implementation and co-ordination of the initiative.
	The pre-employment training element of the sector-based work academy model will be funded from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills' Adult Skills budget. It will also be acceptable for employers to fund and deliver the training element of a sector-based work academy themselves if they prefer.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how he proposes that young people will be routed from work experience schemes to apprenticeships.

Chris Grayling: Work experience and apprenticeships are central to improving the prospects of young unemployed people across the country.
	Overall we are funding up to 100,000 work experience placements over two years. This will enable young people to undertake a period of valuable work experience lasting between two and eight weeks. Claimants in the 18 to 24 age group are eligible for work experience and from October 2011 we will be widening eligibility to include 16 and 17 year olds in receipt of jobseeker's allowance.
	This Government are funding up to 250,000 more apprenticeships in England over the next four years. There will be clear routes into apprenticeships to widen access to the programme and clear routes into higher level skills training including, but not exclusively, higher apprenticeships. We are committed to strengthening the links between work experience and apprenticeships. From October this year young people will be able to have their work experience placements extended by up to four weeks where employers make a firm offer of an apprenticeship and that offer is accepted. This will be one of the routes that will help to maximise the number of young people moving off benefits into the 40,000 extra apprenticeships, targeted at unemployed young people, that were announced in the 2011 Budget.

Employment: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate has been made of the number of people not in employment, education or training (a) nationally and (b) in Milton Keynes.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of people not in employment, education or training (a) nationally and (b) in Milton Keynes. (71985)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles labour market statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	For the period January 2010 to December 2010, the number of people aged 16 to 64 not in education, employment or training was 31,000 in Milton Keynes and 8,690,000 in the UK.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and JSA count are available on the Nomis website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Employment: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has relating to the future employment of local authority employees in Scotland who administer benefits advice following implementation of his legislative proposals on welfare reform.

Chris Grayling: Universal credit will be delivered by DWP drawing on the expertise of HMRC and local authorities. The best of the current capability will be used to deliver the new service, taking the opportunity to modernise and improve it to deliver better efficiency for the taxpayer and better service for claimants. As DWP start to build the organisation to deliver universal credit, the role of providing benefits advice will form part of our thinking and we continue to work collaboratively across HMRC and local authorities to enable a future proof design to meet claimant needs.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households were claiming housing benefit in each local authority in Great Britain (a) in total and (b) in respect of (i) shared, (ii) one-bedroom, (iii) two-bedroom, (iv) three-bedroom and (v) four-bedroom properties in May 2011.

Steve Webb: The requested information cannot be provided by bedroom size. The Department does not collect administrative information on the number of bedrooms for accommodation in the social rented sector. In the private rented sector although the local housing allowance rate provides information on the bedroom size for which local housing allowance is payable it is not necessarily a reflection of the property size occupied as claimants can choose to over or under occupy.
	The Family Resources Survey does collect information on the number of bedrooms in a household however this is not sufficiently robust to present by local authority.
	A copy of the Housing Benefit caseload as of May 2011 has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) actual and (b) percentage change in the number of households claiming local housing allowance in each local authority area in Great Britain was between June 2010 and May 2011.

Steve Webb: The information has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications were made for housing benefit discretionary payments in each local authority area in 2010-11; and how many households received housing benefit discretionary payment.

Steve Webb: The information is not available. The Department does hold some management information on the number of awards in each local authority area, but this has not been through sufficient quality assurance for publication.

Housing Benefit

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress he is making in his proposals to cap housing benefit.

Steve Webb: From April 2011, we introduced overall weekly maximum local housing allowance rates for each category of property as well as the removal of the five-bedroom rate.
	The new capped rates are:
	£250 a week for a one-bedroom property
	£290 a week for a two-bedroom property
	£340 a week for a three-bedroom property
	£400 a week for a four-bedroom property or larger
	There is provision for existing claimants to have more time to adjust to any reduction in entitlement by giving them up to nine months transitional protection from the anniversary date of their claim.
	We have also provided a substantial increase in the discretionary housing payment budget, which will allow local authorities to give additional support and help people through the transition.

Housing Benefit

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with (a) the National Housing Federation and (b) individual housing associations regarding plans to restrict housing benefit payments where the claimant is deemed to be under-occupying their home.

Steve Webb: The Minister for Welfare Reform, my noble Friend Lord Freud, has met with the National Housing Federation and various housing associations to discuss welfare reform issues including housing benefit and is always receptive to contributions they have to make to the debate. DWP officials have also met and continue to engage with the National Housing Federation, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and a number of housing associations on this measure. A questionnaire was recently issued to 200 local authorities and housing associations specifically about the under-occupancy measure and 56 responses have been received.

Housing Benefit: Leeds

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effects of (a) the changes in housing benefit and (b) the £26,000 benefits cap on households by family size in (i) Leeds and (ii) the UK.

Chris Grayling: The information is as follows:
	(a) In Great Britain, it is estimated that housing benefit claimants assessed under the local housing allowance rules will lose on average £12 per week as a result of the changes that were introduced in April 2011. The average loss in Leeds is estimated at £7. Impacts by family size are not available, although the Department has published statistics on losses broken down by bedroom entitlement.
	
		
			 Average loss per claimant from the April 2011 local housing allowance reforms 
			 £ 
			  Great Britain Leeds 
			 Shared 7 3 
			 1-bedroom 11 7 
			 2-bed room 12 8 
			 3-bedroom 15 7 
			 4-bedroom 22 12 
			 5-bedroom 57 21 
			 Overall 12 7 
		
	
	(b) The Department's estimates for the impacts of the proposed overall, benefit cap in Great Britain can be found in the impact assessment published to support the cap's inclusion in the Welfare Reform Bill. The impact assessment can be found on the Department's internet site at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/household-benefit-cap-wr2011-ia.pdf
	Information on its specific effects in Leeds is not available as sample sizes are too small to yield reliable results for areas smaller than the overall impacts for Great Britain.

Housing Benefit: Leeds

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of recipients of (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit are in work in (i) Leeds and (ii) the UK.

Steve Webb: The information as requested is not available.
	A breakdown of housing benefit (HB)/council tax benefit (CTB) recipients by employment status is only available for recipients who are not also on a passported benefit (income support, jobseekers allowance (income-based), employment and support allowance (income based), or pension credit (guaranteed credit). Non- passported recipients represent around one third of all HB/CTB recipients. Available information is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 Housing benefit recipients by passported status, in Leeds local authority, and Great Britain. May 2011 
			  All HB recipients Passported Non-passported Non-passported: of which in employment 
			 Great Britain 4,879,180 3,237,770 1,638,770 803,070 
			 Leeds local authority 67,050 46,650 20,400 8,960 
		
	
	
		
			 Council tax benefit recipients by passported status, in Leeds local authority, and Great Britain. May 2011 
			  All CTB recipients Passported Non-passported Non-passported: of which in employment 
			 Great Britain 5,852,130 3,910,290 1,933,630 697,080 
			 Leeds local authority 76,480 52,720 23,760 7,870 
			 Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Proportions to the nearest one decimal place. 3. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases. An extended payment is a payment that may be received for a further four weeks when they start working full-time, work more hours or earn more money. 4. Passported status does not include recipients with unknown passported status. 5. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and May 2011 are the most recent available. 6. Council tax benefit figures exclude any single adult rebate cases. 7. These data refer to people receiving housing benefit not in receipt of a passported benefit and are recorded as being in employment if their local authority has recorded employment income from either the main claimant, or partner of claimant (if applicable), in calculating the housing benefit award. People receiving passported benefits who are working part-time cannot be identified and are therefore not included in this analysis.  8. DWP does not hold benefit statistics for Northern Ireland. Benefit statistics are published on the Department for Social Development Northern Ireland's (DSDNI) website at: http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research/benefit_publications.htm Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE)

Housing Benefit: Mental Illness

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with charities and mental health workers on the effects on single people under 35 years with a mental illness of changes to the local housing allowance shared accommodation rate.

Steve Webb: We have regular meetings with voluntary organisations and groups that specifically focus on mental health issues. We have considered carefully representations made directly to us and responses to the consultation held by the Social Security Advisory Committee on the shared accommodation rate change.
	Discretionary housing payments can be paid to those in receipt of housing benefit, who face a shortfall in meeting their contractual rent. These payments are very flexible and can be considered where, in the local authority's opinion, further financial assistance with housing costs is required.

Housing Benefit: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received housing benefit in the Vale of Clywd in each month since November 2008.

Steve Webb: The Department regularly publishes monthly housing benefit case loads at local authority area level which are available from November 2008 to May 2011 on its website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbctb
	However, parliamentary constituency breakdowns have only been produced as a one-off exercise for January 2011, and are published at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/hb_ctb/hb_ctb_parlc_jan11.xls
	The number of housing benefit (HB) recipients in the Vale of Clwyd parliamentary constituency at January 2011 was 6,570.
	Notes:
	1. Parliamentary constituency is based on the address of the HB/CTB recipient. Note that local authority data is based on the authority administering the benefit claim. It is possible for the recipient to reside in a different LA to the one administering their HB/CTB claim. Therefore it may not always be possible to make direct comparisons between parliamentary constituency and local authority data.
	2. Recipients are as at the second Thursday of the month.
	3. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10.

Innovation Fund

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that resources from the Innovation Fund are made available to support the re-employment of skilled and experienced careers advisers recently made unemployed as a result of the closure of Connexions services.

Chris Grayling: The Innovation Fund will support disadvantaged young people, and those at risk of disadvantage, aged 14 years and over. Any organisation in the public, private or voluntary sector is eligible to bid for the Innovation Fund, as an investor/ intermediary or as a delivery organisation within a social investment partnership. The second phase of the Innovation Fund will be launched in the autumn and projects are being selected on the basis of a competitive process.
	Payments from the fund will be made on the basis of the educational and employment related outcomes achieved by the participants. However, the Innovation Fund provision must not duplicate existing programmes or funding arrangements—the provision needs to be genuinely innovative and deliver support to individuals which would not otherwise be available to them.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria his Department uses to ensure information and updates on legislation and procedures passed to all (a) staff handling jobseeker's allowance, (b) national helplines, (c) voluntary agencies and (d) claimants.

Chris Grayling: The information is as follows:
	(a) Standard processes exist within Jobcentre Plus to ensure that changes such as the introduction of new legislation are notified to staff in advance. This includes a four week notice period of any changes to internal guidance and supporting products, to ensure that all staff are fully aware of the scope and affect of the change before the policy or process changes are implemented. A monthly strategic forward look of change, including the impacts on operational capacity to absorb change, is also available to staff. Additional products, such as Learning and Development, are produced to help staff understand the changes.
	(b) Assuming ‘national helplines’ refer to those operated by DWP, the same response applies as (a) above, about how we inform staff.
	(c) There are no set criteria for disseminating information to voluntary agencies, i.e. the advice sector. Each instance is judged on its own merits. The primary channel for communicating with this sector is the DWP Adviser and Intermediaries site, which has links to legislation and guidance. Changes are communicated through this site, through direct mailings to national customer organisations and at meetings with representatives of the sector.
	(d) To provide claimants with information about changes to legislation, the Department takes a two-part approach:
	For new claimants, information is updated in our printed leaflets, factsheets and forms, and on our Directgov information pages. Where appropriate we may highlight that the new information is a change. For printed materials, we aim to update products to a schedule that minimises unnecessary cost (for example at a regular review stage, or when old stock needs to be reprinted).
	For existing claimants, changes are notified through our existing relationship, either during regular fortnightly signing in Jobcentres, through letters or through direct contact (such as by phone or in adviser interviews).

New Enterprise Allowance

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions through what channels his Department makes information on the New Enterprise Allowance available.

Chris Grayling: Background information about the new enterprise allowance and its administration, together with a list of the Department's delivery partners in Jobcentre Plus districts, can be found on the Department's website:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/new-enterprise-allowance/
	Information on the new enterprise allowance scheme itself is available to claimants online, through the Directgov website:
	http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Jobseekers/LookingForWork/DG_173931
	Jobcentre Plus front-line staff also provide claimants with information about the scheme when they attend the Jobcentre for regular interventions.
	Information about the performance of the new enterprise allowance scheme will be released as part of the pre-Work programme official statistics covering Get Britain Working Measures. The first release is due to be published on 16 November 2011. More information can be found on the Department's website:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wp

Pensions

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding his Department has allocated to explaining the planned changes to pensions and their consequences to businesses.

Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) on 15 September 2011, Official Report, column 1360W.

Pensions

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to offset the costs incurred by micro firms in implementing pension changes in 2012.

Steve Webb: The independent Making Automatic Enrolment Work review looked at the impact of the reforms on employers and specifically examined whether micro employers should be excluded from the reforms. It concluded that they should not because this would exclude 1.5 million people working for small businesses from the opportunity to save for their retirement.
	We do, however, want to make the implementation of the reforms as straightforward for employers as possible and the Pensions Bill 2011 includes measures that will reduce the regulatory impact on business including:
	An increase in the earnings threshold for automatic enrolment;
	An optional waiting period of up to 3 months before an employee needs to be automatically enrolled; and
	A simpler way for employers to check that existing defined contribution schemes meet the required standards.
	In addition, the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) has been established to ensure that all, employers have access to suitable, low cost pension provision. NEST has been designed to make compliance with the reforms as straightforward as possible for all employers, and will be particularly suited to the needs of small and micro business.

Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of households in poverty have at least one person working.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of various groups of individuals living in poverty across the UK are published in Households Below Average Income Series (HBAI, 2009/10). This uses household income adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size using various thresholds of low income poverty. This analysis looks at household level poverty, using a threshold of the 60% of contemporary median equivalised disposable household income
	The following table shows the number and proportion of households, where at least one person is working, that have income below 60% of contemporary median household income, both Before and After Housing Costs in 2009-10, the most recent data available.
	
		
			 Number in millions and percentage of households with income below 60% of median income Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) where at least one person is working 
			 Million (and %) of households 
			  BHC AHC 
			 2009-10 1.7 (36) 2.5 (43) 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 3. Figures have been presented on a Before Housing Cost and an After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are. 4. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 5. Proportions of households in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest whole percentage point and numbers of households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000. Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP

Poverty

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benefits are claimed by (a) working households in poverty without children, (b) workless households in poverty without children, (c) lone parents in poverty who work, (d) lone parents in poverty who do not work, (e) couple parents in poverty who work, (f) couple parents in poverty who do not work, (g) workless households in poverty with children, who have one or more adult who is disabled and (h) workless households in poverty without children, who have one or more adult who is disabled; what estimate he has made of the average amount of time members of each such category spent on administering benefits and benefits claims in the latest period for which figures are available; what (i) additions and (ii) mental health problems affecting people in each such category have been reported to his Department; and what the incidence of such households is in each geographic area.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of various groups of individuals living in poverty are published in the households below average income (HBAI) series sourced from the Family Resources Survey. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living. This analysis looks at household level poverty, using a threshold of 60% of contemporary median equivalised disposable household income.
	Data is provided in the following tables for the United Kingdom for 2009/10, the most recent year for which data is available.
	Tables 1 and 2 as follows show the proportion of each of the household and family types specified in receipt of each type of state support. The sample size of the Family Resources Survey is not sufficient to provide estimates below the United Kingdom level.
	The Department for Work and Pensions does not an estimate of the average amount of time members of each household and family types specified spent on administering benefits and benefits claims. It also has no information on the additions and mental health problems affecting people in each household and family type have reported.
	
		
			 Table 1a: Percentage of each family or household type who are in receipt of each type of state support, before housing costs (part 1) 
			 Percentage 
			  Family or household type 
			 State support type Working households in poverty without children Workless households in poverty without children Lone parent families in poverty who work Lone parent families in poverty who do not work 
			 Working tax credit 8 — 52 — 
			 Child tax credit — 1 75 73 
			 Income support 2 15 7 57 
			 Pension credit 2 8 — — 
			 Housing benefit 11 43 25 72 
			 Council tax benefit (support for rates in Northern Ireland) 13 58 26 77 
			 Retirement pension 7 13 — — 
			 Widow's benefits — 1 4 3 
			 Jobseeker's allowance 11 27 1 9 
			 Employment and support allowance 2 5 1 3 
			 Incapacity benefit 3 17 — 6 
			 Severe disablement allowance — 1 — — 
			 Attendance allowance 1 — — — 
			 Carer's allowance 1 2 1 2 
			 Disability living allowance (care component) 3 8 1 4 
			 Disability living allowance (mobility component) 4 8 — 3 
			 Industrial injuries disablement benefit — — 1 — 
			 Armed Forces Compensation scheme — — — — 
			 Child benefit — — 95 92 
			      
			 On any income related benefit 21 65 31 87 
			 On any non-income related benefit 29 48 95 95 
			 All in receipt of benefit 43 81 96 97 
			 All in receipt of tax credits 6 — 75 73 
			 All not in receipt of state support 38 75 97 97 
			 Population (millions) 0.9 1.2 0.1 0.4 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 1b: Percentage of each family or household type who are in receipt of each type of state support, before housing costs (part 2) 
			 Percentage 
			  Family or household type 
			 State support received Couple parent families in poverty who work Couple parent families in poverty who do not work Workless households in poverty with children, who have one or more adult who is disabled Workless households in poverty without children, who have one or more adult who is disabled 
			 Working tax credit 36 1 1 — 
			 Child tax credit 61 70 75 1 
		
	
	
		
			 Income support 1 21 40 25 
			 Pension credit — 1 2 11 
			 Housing benefit 8 58 67 53 
			 Council tax benefit (support for rates in Northern Ireland) 11 72 81 73 
			 Retirement pension — 1 5 16 
			 Widow's benefits — — 1 1 
			 Jobseeker's allowance 5 39 18 16 
			 Employment and support allowance 1 6 9 8 
			 Incapacity benefit 2 13 22 33 
			 Severe disablement allowance — — 1 1 
			 Attendance allowance — — — 1 
			 Carer's allowance 1 6 7 3 
			 Disability living allowance (care component) 3 12 21 16 
			 Disability living allowance (mobility component) 2 8 14 16 
			 Industrial injuries disablement benefit — — 2 — 
			 Armed Forces Compensation scheme — 1 — — 
			 Child benefit 93 92 94 1 
			      
			 On any income related benefit 16 79 85 80 
			 On any non-income related benefit 93 93 97 67 
			 All in receipt of benefit 94 97 99 95 
			 All in receipt of tax credits 61 70 62 — 
			 All not in receipt of state support 94 97 85 89 
			 Population (millions) 0.6 0.3 0.2 0.6 
			 Source: Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2009/10, DWP 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2a: Percentage of each family or household type who are in receipt of each type of state support, before housing costs (part 1) 
			 Percentage 
			  Family or household type 
			 State support received Working households in poverty without children Workless households in poverty without children Lone parent families in poverty who work Lone parent families in poverty who do not work 
			 Working tax credit 8 — 55 — 
			 Child tax credit — 1 78 79 
			 Income support 2 19 9 68 
			 Pension credit 2 7 — — 
			 Housing benefit 13 53 35 82 
			 Council tax benefit (support for rates in Northern Ireland) 14 64 31 84 
			 Retirement pension 6 12 — — 
			 Widow's benefits — 1 2 2 
			 Jobseeker's allowance 10 26 1 8 
			 Employment and support allowance 2 5 — 3 
			 Incapacity benefit 3 19 — 5 
			 Severe disablement allowance — 1 — — 
			 Attendance allowance — — — — 
			 Carer's allowance — 2 — 2 
			 Disability living allowance (care component) 3 11 1 3 
			 Disability living allowance (mobility component) 3 9 — 3 
			 Industrial injuries disablement benefit — — — — 
			 Armed Forces Compensation scheme — — — — 
			 Child benefit — 1 94 95 
			      
			 On any income related benefit 21 70 39 92 
			 On any non-income related benefit 25 49 95 97 
			 All in receipt of benefit 38 82 95 98 
			 All in receipt of tax credits 5 — 78 79 
			 All not in receipt of state support 33 77 97 98 
			 Population (millions) 1.3 1.4 0.2 0.6 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2b: Percentage of each family or household type who are in receipt of each type of state support, before housing costs (part 2) 
			 Percentage 
			  Family or household type 
			 State support received Couple parent families in poverty who work Couple parent families in poverty who do not work Workless households in poverty with children, who have one or more adult who is disabled Workless households in poverty without children, who have one or more adult who is disabled 
			 Working tax credit 36 1 — — 
			 Child tax credit 63 72 78 1 
			 Income support 1 25 49 31 
			 Pension credit — 2 2 9 
			 Housing benefit 12 65 78 67 
			 Council tax benefit (support for rates in Northern Ireland) 13 77 86 79 
			 Retirement pension — 1 3 14 
			 Widow's benefits — — 1 1 
			 Jobseeker's allowance 5 39 16 16 
			 Employment and support allowance 1 5 9 7 
			 Incapacity benefit 1 14 21 33 
			 Severe disablement allowance — 1 1 1 
			 Attendance allowance — — — 1 
			 Carer's allowance 1 7 8 2 
			 Disability living allowance(care component) 2 16 21 20 
			 Disability living allowance (mobility component) 2 13 17 17 
			 Industrial injuries disablement benefit — — 1 — 
			 Armed Forces Compensation scheme — — — — 
			 Child benefit 93 93 95 1 
			      
			 On any income related benefit 19 82 91 85 
			 On any non-income related benefit 93 94 98 68 
			 All in receipt of benefit 94 98 100 96 
			 All in receipt of tax credits 63 72 66 — 
			 All not in receipt of state support 94 98 89 91 
			 Population (millions) 1.0 0.3 0.3 0.7 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on households below average income (HBAI) data available at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai_arc 2. These statistics are based on households below average income (HBAI) data sourced from the 2009/10 Family Resources survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 4. Figures have been presented on a before housing cost and an after housing cost basis. For before housing costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for after housing costs they are. 5. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. The sample size for lone parent families in poverty who work is particularly small, so results for this family type should be treated with particular caution. 6. Benefit receipt is based on self-assessment and therefore may be subject to misreporting. The Family Resources Survey is known to undercount receipt of certain benefits. 7. The population groups include subgroups of families and households. Families are defined as a single adult or a married or cohabiting couple and any dependent children; from January 2006 same-sex partners (civil partners and cohabitees) are included in the same benefit unit. A household is made up of one of more families. 8. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year. 9. Proportions of families and households have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 10. Numbers of families and households have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand. 11. “—“ indicates less than 0.5%. 12. Poverty has been defined as: Relative low income: households with equivalised households incomes below 60% of contemporary median household income, before or after housing costs. 13. For this analysis, disability is defined as having any long-standing illness, disability or impairment that leads to a substantial difficulty with one or more areas of the individual's life. Everyone classified as disabled under this definition would also be classified as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 (and the Disability Discrimination Act which was in force at the time of the survey). However, some individuals classified as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 would not be captured by this definition, as the Family Resources survey, the source of the households below average income series, does not fully collect this information. 14. No adjustment is made to disposable household income to take into account any additional costs that may be incurred due to an illness or disability, because research shows these vary significantly in level and nature, and there is no general agreement on how to measure these costs. 15. A household or family is defined as workless if no-one within the household or family is classified as working; otherwise the household or family is defined as working, so is wider than just those individuals classified as unemployed. 16. We have excluded households or families that do not contain any working-age adults. The categories specified are not mutually exclusive and the same individuals can be counted in more than one group. Source: Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2009/10, DWP

Poverty

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of workless households that are in poverty and have one or more adults who is disabled and one or more adults of working age also include at least one child.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of various groups of individuals living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	The following table shows the proportion and number of workless households that are in poverty and have one or more adults who is disabled and one or more adults of working age that also include at least one child.
	
		
			 Proportion and number of workless households that are in poverty and have one or more adults who is disabled and one or more adults of working age which also include at least one child, United Kingdom, 2009-10 
			  Workless households in poverty with one or more disabled adults and one or more working-age adults with at least one child 
			 Low income Number (Million) Proportion (Percentage) 
			 Before housing costs 0.2 14 
			 After housing costs 0.3 26 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data available at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai_arc 2. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the 2009-10 Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 4. Figures have been presented on a before housing cost and an after housing cost basis. For before housing costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for after housing costs they are. 5. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 6. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year. 7. Number of households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000. 8. Proportion of households have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 9. Poverty has been defined as: relative low income: households with equivalised households incomes below 60% of contemporary median household income, before or after housing costs. 10. For this analysis, disability is defined as having any long-standing illness, disability or impairment that leads to a substantial difficulty with one or more areas of the individual’s life. Everyone classified as disabled under this definition would also be classified as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 (and the Disability Discrimination Act which was in force at the time of the survey). However, some individuals classified as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 would not be captured by this definition, as the Family Resources Survey, the source of the Households Below Average Income series, does not fully collect this information. 11. No adjustment is made to disposable household income to take into account any additional costs that may be incurred due to an illness or disability, because research shows these vary significantly in level and nature, and there is no general agreement on how to measure these costs. 12. A household is defined as workless if no one within the household is classified as working; otherwise the household is defined as working, so is wider than just those individuals classified as unemployed. Source: Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2009-10, DWP.

Poverty

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of workless households living in poverty include (a) one or more and (b) two or more disabled adults.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of various groups of individuals living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	The following table shows the proportion and number of workless households that are in poverty also include (a) one or more and (b) two or more disabled adults. Households that contain only adults above pension age have been excluded from this analysis.
	
		
			 Proportion and number of workless households that are in poverty with at least one working-age adult that also include (a) one or more and (b) two or more disabled adults, United Kingdom, 2009-10 
			  Before housing costs After housing costs 
			 Workless households with at least one working-age adult in poverty with Number (Million) Proportion (Percentage) Number (Million) Proportion (Percentage) 
			 One or more disabled adults 0.8 44 1.1 45 
			 Two or more disabled adults 0.1 6 0.1 6 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data available at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai_arc 2. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the 2009-10 Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 4. Figures have been presented on a before housing cost and an after housing cost basis. For before housing costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for after housing costs they are. 5. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 6. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year. 7. Number of households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000. 8. Proportion of households have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 9. Poverty has been defined as: relative low income: households with equivalised households incomes below 60% of contemporary median household income, before or after housing costs. 10. For this analysis, disability is defined as having any long-standing illness, disability or impairment that leads to a substantial difficulty with one or more areas of the individual’s life. Everyone classified as disabled under this definition would also be classified as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 (and the Disability Discrimination Act which was in force at the time of the survey). However, some individuals classified as disabled under the Equality Act 2010 would not be captured by this definition, as the Family Resources Survey, the source of the Households Below Average Income series, does not fully collect this information. 11. No adjustment is made to disposable household income to take into account any additional costs that may be incurred due to an illness or disability, because research shows these vary significantly in level and nature, and there is no general agreement on how to measure these costs. 12. A household is defined as workless if no one within the household is classified as working; otherwise the household is defined as working, so is wider than just those individuals classified as unemployed. We have excluded households that do not contain working-age adults. Source: Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2009-10, DWP.

Poverty

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of people of working age, in work and living in poverty are women in (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of various groups of individuals living in poverty across the UK are published in Households Below Average Income Series (HBAI, 2009-10). This uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size using various thresholds of low income poverty. This analysis looks at individual level poverty, using a threshold of the 60% of contemporary median equivalised disposable household income.
	The following table shows the number and proportion of working age women, in full time and part time employment that have income below 60% of contemporary median household income, both Before and After Housing Costs in 2009-10, the most recent data available.
	
		
			 Table 1: Numbers and proportions of people of working age, in work and living in poverty who are women in (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment, Before Housing Costs and After Housing Costs, 2009-10, United Kingdom 
			  Before Housing Costs After Housing Costs 
			 Million and percentage of people of working age, in work and living in poverty who are: Number (million) Proportion (percentage) Number (million) Proportion (percentage) 
			 Women in full-time employment 0.4 19 0.7 22 
			 Women in part-time employment 0.5 25 0.8 24 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 3. Figures have been presented on a Before Housing Cost and an After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are. 4. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 5. Proportions of individuals in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest whole percentage point and numbers of individuals have been rounded to the nearest 100,000. Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP

Poverty

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of working age (a) parents living in poverty as a couple and (b) lone parents have at least one child (i) over and (ii) under five;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of people of working age and living in households in poverty are lone parents;
	(3)  how many and what proportion of people of working age in work and living in households in poverty are lone parents.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of various groups of individuals living in poverty across the UK are published in Households Below Average Income Series (HBAI). This uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size using various thresholds of low income poverty. This analysis looks at household level poverty, using a threshold of the 60% of contemporary median equivalised disposable household income
	Data is provided in the following tables for the United Kingdom for 2009-10, the most recent year for which data is available.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number and proportion of working age people living in households with income below 60% of contemporary median income Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) who are lone parents 
			  Million and percentage of individuals 
			  BHC AHC 
			  Million Percentage Million Percentage 
			 2009-10 0.5 9 0.9 11 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number and proportion of working age people in work living in households with income below 60% of contemporary median income Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) who are lone parents 
			  Million and percentage of individuals 
			  BHC AHC 
			  Million Percentage Million Percentage 
			 2009-10 0.1 6 0.2 7 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Number and proportion of working age people who are (a) living in a couple and (b) lone parents that have at least one child in certain age bands 
			  Million and percentage of individuals 
			  Couple Lone parent 
			 At least one child Million Percentage Million Percentage 
			 Aged 0 to 4 5.0 44 0.6 31 
			 Aged 5 and above 8.4 73 1.5 80 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4a: Number and proportion of working age people living in households with income below 60  %   of contemporary median income Before Housing Costs who are (a) parents in a couple and (b) lone parents that have at least one child in certain age bands 
			  Million and percentage of individuals 
			  Couple Lone parent 
			 At least one child Million Percentage Million Percentage 
			 Aged 0 to 4 0.8 46 0.2 35 
			 Aged 5 and above 1.3 74 0.4 79 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4b: Number and proportion of working age people living in households with income below 60% of contemporary median income After Housing Costs who are (a) parents in a couple and (b) lone parents that have at least one child in certain age bands 
			  Million and percentage of individuals 
			  Couple Lone parent 
			 At least one child Million Percentage Million Percentage 
			 Aged 0 to 4 1.3 50 0.3 38 
		
	
	
		
			 Aged 5 and above 1.8 70 0.7 76 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 3. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 4. Proportions of individuals in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest whole percentage point and numbers of individuals have been rounded to the nearest 100,000. Note that proportions do not add to 100% as parents can have children in each of the different age ranges. 5. Figures have been presented on both Before and After Housing Cost bases. For Before Housing Costs figures, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, buildings insurance payments and ground rent, and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are. 6. It is unclear whether five-year-olds should be included in either of the splits requested. We have included five-year-olds in the older age range in line with school years and the standard age splits presented in the HBAI publication. Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP

Redundancy: Manufacturing Industries

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will calculate the cost to the public purse of redundancies in rail manufacturing in the East Midlands, including support for affected individuals and families in the comprehensive spending review period.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	The latest employment figures for the quarter May to July 2011 (seasonally adjusted) show a growth over the year of 24,000 in the UK and 51,000 in the East Midlands regions.
	This net improvement in employment over the last year has happened despite redundancies occurring both in the East Midlands and the UK. It is unfortunate but there are always redundancies, job losses and separations. Over the last year in the East Midlands, however, these job losses and separations have been more than offset by the numbers being recruited.
	So, because there is no direct relationship between redundancies in a specific firm or sector and wider labour market development it is not possible to calculate the cost to the public purse of a specific redundancy. The outcome will depend on the state of the economy, whether the redundant person takes up a benefit and how long they remain on benefit before they leave—either to go into work or another destination.
	Government policy aims to minimise these costs to the public purse and also the problems faced by the redundant workers. It is aiming to establish a system that fosters and delivers growth and also labour market policies that help the people made redundant back into work as soon as possible.

Rents: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the average income of (a) social rental, (b) private rental and (c) all households in Ashfield constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: We use Households Below Average Income data to provide estimates of median incomes. However, the sample size of this survey is not sufficient to provide estimates for small areas such as that requested.
	The following table shows the median equivalised disposable household income by tenure and all households for the east midlands region of England, Before and After
	Housing Costs.
	
		
			 Median equivalised disposable household income, for households, by tenure and for all households for the east midlands region of England, three year average 2007-08 to 2009-10, Before and After Housing Costs 
			  Median equivalised weekly disposable household income for families (£) 
			 Tenure type BHC AHC 
			 Social renters 290 229 
			 Private renters 328 249 
			 All households 380 345 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 3. Figures have been presented on a Before Housing Cost and an After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are. 4. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 5. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year. For countries and regions within the UK, three survey years have been combined because single year estimates are not considered to be sufficiently reliable. 6. Weekly incomes are presented in 2009-10 prices and have been rounded to the nearest pound. 7. Families are defined as a single adult or couple living as married and any dependent children, including same sex couples (civil partnerships and cohabitees) from January 2006. A household is made up of one of more families and is defined as a single person or group of people living at the same address as their only or main residence, who either share one meal a day together or share the living accommodation (i.e. a living room). In line with the wording of the question, analysis has been carried out at the family level. 8. The estimates for All Households include those households who are owner occupiers as well as those in the social and privately rented sector. Source: Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 2007-08 to 2009/-10

Sick Leave

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department holds on the number of people in each (a) nation of the UK and (b) region of England who were on long-term sick leave in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010.

Chris Grayling: There are few reliable sources of sickness absence data in Great Britain. Employers pay statutory sick pay (and in some cases occupational sick pay) but are not required to submit this information to the Government unless they are seeking reimbursement for monies paid under the Percentage Threshold Scheme. Consequently, there is no comprehensive centrally recorded administrative data and there is greater reliance on survey data.
	Department for Work and Pensions’ analysis of the “Employee Health and Well-being at Work Survey” (DWP Research Report 751) found that in 2009, 4% of employees in Great Britain had absences of more than four weeks. More than four weeks is commonly used to define long-term sickness absence. This equates to around 1 million employees. Breakdowns by nations and regions of England are unavailable due to small sample sizes. Data for other years are also unavailable.

Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent communications he has received from the European Commission on increasing benefit payments from the UK Government to citizens of other EU countries.

Chris Grayling: On 29 September the Government received a communication from the European Commission in the form of a Reasoned Opinion in which the Commission states that the application of the ‘Right to Reside Test’ to claims for certain residence-based non-contributory benefits constitutes an unjustified discrimination prohibited by the EU regulations on social security co-ordination.
	As a result, the Commission invites the United Kingdom “to take the necessary measures” to comply with the Reasoned Opinion within two months.
	The Government believe that it is right that we support those who work and pay their taxes here, but it is clearly completely unacceptable that we should be asked to open our welfare system to people who have never worked or contributed in the United Kingdom and have no intention of doing so. I am surprised that the European Commission has chosen to write in this way on this very sensitive issue, especially when the UK and a number of other EU member states have asked the Commission to reconsider the rules.
	The Government will consider all the details of the Commission's Reasoned Opinion before deciding what action to take.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people convicted of benefit fraud continued to receive benefits in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010; and how many such people were resident in (i) the North West, (ii) Greater Manchester and (iii) Bury North constituency.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received a criminal conviction for benefit fraud where the amount of fraud involved was (a) £0 to £1,000, (b) £1,101 to £5,000, (c) £5,001 to £10,000 and (d) over £10,000 in the last year for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: In 2010-11 a total of 8,598 people received a criminal conviction for benefit fraud. Information on the amount of benefit fraud involved in these cases is as follows:
	
		
			 Overpayment value Number of cases 
			 (a) £0 to £1,000 574 
			 (b) £1,001 to £5,000 3,417 
			 (c) £5,001 to £10,000 2,149 
			 (d) Over £10,000 2,458 
			 Sources: Fraud Referral and Intelligence Management System (FRAIMS) (England and Wales only) and local management information (Scotland).

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were found to have committed benefit fraud in each of the last five years; and what proportion were prosecuted in court.

Chris Grayling: Information on how many people were found to have committed benefit fraud in each of the last five years and the proportion of these that were prosecuted in court is as follows:
	
		
			  Number committing fraud Proportion prosecuted in court (Percentage) 
			 2006-07 28,647 30 
			 2007-08 29,132 33 
			 2008-09 28,180 31 
			 2009-10 29,406 28 
			 2010-11 31,797 31 
			 Note: Figures based on the number of individuals that were given a caution, administrative penalty and conviction, and what proportion these equate to against the total number of court prosecutions for the same period. Sources: Information extracted from the Fraud Referral and Intelligence Management System (FRAIMS) and local management information (Scotland).

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were convicted of benefit fraud in each of the last five years; and how many of those convicted, who received a custodial sentence, had committed fraud amounting to (a) £0 to £1,000, (b) £1,001 to £5,000, (c) £5001 to £10,000 and (d) over £10,000.

Chris Grayling: Information on how many people were convicted of benefit fraud in each of the last five years and those that received a custodial sentence is as follows:
	
		
			  Number convicted of benefit fraud Number that received a custodial sentence 
			 2006-07 6,861 1,146 (includes 530 suspended custodial sentences) 
			 .2007-08 7,745 1,483 (includes 961 suspended custodial sentences) 
			 2008-09 6,700 1,308 (includes 841 suspended custodial sentences) 
			 2009-10 7,040 1,340 (includes 929 suspended custodial sentences) 
			 2010-11 8,598 1,304 (includes 939 suspended custodial sentences) 
		
	
	Information on the value of the frauds of those convicted who received a custodial sentence is only available for the last year (1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011) and is as follows:
	(a) £0 to £1,000: 237 (of which 72 relates to suspended sentences)
	(b) £1,001 to £5,000: 44 (of which 27 relates to suspended sentences)
	(c) £5,001 to £10,000: 88 (of which 77 relates to suspended sentences)
	(d) over £10,000: 935 (of which 763 relates to suspended sentences)
	Source
	Information extracted from the Fraud Referral and Intelligence Management System (FRAIMS) and local management information (Scotland). Prosecution and conviction data by monetary value are not available prior to 1 April 2010.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people convicted of benefit fraud continued to receive benefits in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010; and how many such people were resident in (i) the north-west, (ii) east Lancashire and (iii) Pendle constituency.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were convicted for benefit fraud and what proportion of all benefit claimants this represented in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: Information on how many people were convicted of benefit fraud in each of the last five years and the proportion of all benefit claimants this represents is as follows:
	
		
			  Number convicted of benefit fraud Proportion of all benefit claims (percentage) 
			 2006-07 6,861 0.04 
			 2007-08 7,745 0.04 
			 2008-09 6,700 0.04 
			 2009-10 7,040 0.04 
			 2010-11 8,598 0.05 
			 Note: Figures based on the number of individuals convicted of benefit fraud for the last five years and those numbers expressed as proportions of the total number of benefit claimants at February of that year. Source: Information on convictions extracted from the Fraud Referral and Intelligence Management System (FRAIMS) and local management information (Scotland). Information on benefit claims taken from DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Unemployment: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with partner agencies on the rate of unemployment in Birmingham, Ladywood; and what steps are being taken to reduce that rate.

Chris Grayling: The Department's new flexible delivery model enables Jobcentre Plus district managers to deliver local labour-market solutions. This allows the harnessing of all resources in a particular area to meet the challenge of getting as many people into work as possible, including a stronger focus on working collaboratively with key partners.
	Under the Work programme, which was launched on 10 June 2011 and is now in place nationally, providers are free to design support based on individual and local need and they will be paid primarily for supporting claimants into employment and helping them stay there for longer than ever before, with higher payments for supporting the hardest to help. All three Work programme providers contracted to deliver services in Birmingham have one main site and at least one sub contractor site within the Ladywood constituency. In addition, there are eight Enterprise clubs and 11 Work clubs in the constituency.
	Jobcentre Plus also works with a number of employers and local partners to maximise the employment opportunities available to the local Ladywood community.
	The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership was set up in October 2010 to help strengthen local economies, encourage economic development and enterprise, and improve skills across the region. The partnership is now one of the largest in the country, encompassing a population of over 2 million people, and 840,000 jobs.
	In addition, Jobcentre Plus in Birmingham and Solihull are working with voluntary organisations such as British Heart Foundation and Barnardo's and have signposted over 450 customers to a wide range of volunteering opportunities. Jobcentre Plus is also working closely with all colleges within the catchment area of the constituency. A range of provision is available to meet the skill needs of customers and the demands of the local labour market.
	The Department is working with Birmingham city council and local third sector partners to test whether a more personalised, holistic approach, would be more effective for those people with multiple barriers to return to work.

Unemployment: Training

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance his Department provides to mature unemployed people to retrain and reskill that does not affect their entitlement to benefits.

Steve Webb: Jobcentre Plus aims to deliver a tailored flexible package of back-to-work support to all jobseekers that includes work-related training as well as job-search support. Older jobseekers have the same access to a comprehensive menu of individually-tailored help as those aged under 50 years (apart from the specific measures aimed at improving youth employment for jobseekers aged under 25 years). The Work programme will also provide support for those of all ages who are more at risk of long-term unemployment.
	Older claimants of jobseeker's allowance or employment and support allowance (work-related activity group) are eligible for fully-funded training to help them into work. Jobcentre Plus will work closely with skills providers at a local level to ensure that the training offered meets the needs of both claimants and employers. Claimants of these benefits can also participate in the sector-based work academies, which offer pre-employment training, work placements and guaranteed interviews in sectors with high volumes of current local vacancies.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills recently announced greater freedoms for colleges to deliver fully-subsidised training to people on other benefits, as long as the training is linked to helping the individual back into work. It will be for colleges and training providers to decide what training is offered locally.

Universal Credit: West Lothian

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the introduction of universal credit on (a) West Lothian Council and (b) housing associations in West Lothian.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows.
	(a) Universal credit will be delivered by DWP drawing on the expertise of HMRC and local authorities. The best of the current capability will be used to deliver the new service, taking the opportunity to modernise and improve it to deliver better efficiency for the taxpayer and better service for claimants. As DWP start to build the organisation to deliver universal credit, and we have yet to settle on the precise detail, it is likely some of those skills will exist within local authorities. We will therefore always look to include local authority staff in our thinking.
	(b) The Government's intention is to pay universal credit to the claimant in the majority of cases. The Government believes that this policy will replicate the budgeting skills that people will need when working and will help to break the cycle of welfare dependency that is a feature of the current benefit system. My Department is aware that this will be a big change for housing associations, who are used to receiving housing benefit direct from local authorities under the current scheme. The Government are convinced that, with the right support for tenants and landlords, this policy will not affect housing associations adversely. This support will be tested by a number of projects which the Minister for Welfare Reform, my noble Friend Lord Freud, announced on 14 September 2011. The lessons learned from these projects will allow us to refine this support before universal credit goes live in 2013.
	DWP has not specifically made an assessment of the effect of the introduction of Universal Credit on West Lothian Council and housing associations in West Lothian.

Work Capability Assessment: Atos Healthcare

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department holds on the criteria used by Atos Healthcare to assess the suitability of an applicant to become an approved healthcare professional undertaking work capability assessments.

Chris Grayling: The chief medical adviser (CMA) to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) approves healthcare professionals (HCP) to carry out assessments on behalf of the Secretary of State. Approval is dependent on strict recruitment criteria, completion of a course of training approved by the CMA and evidence of satisfactory performance.
	The core requirements for the role of the HCP as a disability analyst are as follows:
	Full and unconditional General Medical Council (or European economic area equivalent) registration and a current license to practice or Nursing and Midwifery Council registration or Health Professions Council registration
	At least three years' post registration experience in a broad based role (in individual cases, solely at the discretion of the CMA, the requirements that no conditions be attached to registration and that medical personnel must have a minimum of three years post registration experience may be waived)
	Skilled in the analysis of clinical information and medical evidence or experienced as a GP or in related disciplines involving broad-based examination, investigation and diagnostic skills
	Ability to produce clear, concise reports
	Tact, sensitivity, honesty and integrity
	A commitment to client confidentiality
	Comfortable working to targets and specified standards
	Ability to work unsupervised but know when to ask for support
	Evidence of ongoing professional development to necessary standards
	IT literate
	Excellent communication skills

Work Capability Assessment: Atos Healthcare

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 681W, on work capability assessment: Atos Healthcare, how he defines reviewed regularly; what the results were of (a) the last five reviews of the continued suitability of Atos Healthcare to perform work capability assessments and (b) the last 12 performance monitoring exercises; whether such reviews have identified any of the standards required of Atos Healthcare in their contract to conduct the work capability assessment programme; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Atos Healthcare provision is reviewed monthly. Results of the last five reviews are that Atos Healthcare remains suitable to perform work capability assessments. The results of the last 12 reviews are that Atos Healthcare remains suitable to provide medical assessment services.
	These reviews have not introduced new standards for work capability assessments. However, Professor Harrington's review, “An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment”, recommended the inclusion of a personalised summary statement and this is being implemented for all work capability assessments.

Work Capability Assessment: Health Professions

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of approved healthcare professionals undertaking work capability assessments were (a) qualified doctors registered with the General Medical Council, (b) qualified nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, (c) qualified physiotherapists registered with the Health Professions Council and (d) other qualified medical professionals in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: In answer to the question, the figures below are based on work capability assessment (WCA) exams completed in the month of August 2011 as this is the latest period for which figures are available.
	33% of approved healthcare professionals (HCP) undertaking work capability assessments are qualified doctors registered with the General Medical Council.
	62% of approved HCPs undertaking work capability assessments are qualified nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and 5% are qualified physiotherapists registered with the Health Professions Council.
	The law defines “a Healthcare Professional” as a registered doctor, registered nurse, physiotherapist, or occupational therapist. This came into effect on 3 July 2007 in Statutory Instrument 2007 No. 1626 The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2007.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education: Finance

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department provided for the Adult Education Bursary for Certificate of Higher Education in each of the last three years; what proportion of the bursary was awarded in the form of (a) grants and (b) loans in the latest period for which figures are available; and how much funding will be provided in 2012.

John Hayes: The Department has allocated a budget of £2.911 million for Adult Education Bursaries for 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, and for 2011-12.
	The budget is administered by the Residential Colleges Committee, which in turn distributes it to the colleges that qualify. These are an established group of residential colleges in England which provide a range of intensive support to disadvantaged adults, to gain confidence, skills and qualifications in preparation for further study or work.
	The Skills Funding Agency collects individualised data about learners and types of course, but does not link this to specific awards.
	The budget for 2012-13 will be announced in the Skills Investment Strategy, which will be published later this year.

Apprentices

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeships were taken up in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Dudley borough in each of the last 12 months.

John Hayes: Table 1 shows a quarterly breakdown of apprenticeship starts in England, West Midlands region and Dudley local education authority, in the first nine months of the 2010/11 academic year, from August 2010 to April 2011, based on provisional data.
	The Statistical First Release (SFR) is used for the latest apprenticeship figures. Monthly apprenticeship data are not available.
	
		
			 Table 1: Apprenticeship s  tarts in England, West Midlands Region and Dudley local education authority between 1 August 2010 and 30 April 2011 
			  Provisional 
			  August 2010 to October 2010 November 2010 to January 2011 February 2011 to April 2011 August 2010 to April 2011 
			 England 122,200 93,900 110,600 326,700 
			 Dudley Local Education Authority 780 640 910 2,320 
			 West Midlands Government Office Region 13,440 11,270 13,650 38,350 
			 Notes: 1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10 except those for England which are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Geography Information Is based upon the home postcode of the learner. Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23 June 2011:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current

Apprentices: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of higher apprenticeships that will be created in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency.

John Hayes: The Apprenticeships programme is demand led. Government provides funding and forecasts the overall number of places that may be afforded.
	In July the Prime Minister launched a £25 million Higher Apprenticeship Fund to support the expansion of Higher Apprenticeships helping to deliver up to an additional 10,000 advanced and higher level apprenticeships over this Parliament. The closing date for bids is 16 September and we expect to announce the successful bids in November.

Arms Trade: Export Controls

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what further revocations of arms export licences have been made to countries in North Africa and the Middle East subsequent to those detailed in the document Cm. 8079; and if he will provide this information in the same format as in Annex 1 of Cm. 8079.

Mark Prisk: One such licence was revoked on 24 May 2011, as follows:
	
		
			 End user country Annual report summary Rating Reason for revocation 
			 Syria Small arms ammunition ML3 Due to the arms embargo imposed by the EU this licence was reassessed and found to contravene Criteria 1

Business: Entry Clearances

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to address any potential skills shortages arising from recent changes to the immigration rules.

John Hayes: The Government aims to reduce net migration while ensuring that the UK remains open for business. The changes to the migration system will continue to enable companies to bring in the skilled migrants necessary for growth. A long term approach to addressing the UK's reliance on migrant workers can only be achieved through a significant shift in employer behaviour and working practices. It will require action from employers, the immigration system and through coordinated cross-Government action. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has already begun to take this forward, working closely with relevant Sector Skills Councils and employers.
	More widely, we are reforming the skills system so that it delivers the skills needed to return the economy to sustainable growth. As part of our skills strategy, we aim to reduce skill deficiencies at local, regional or sectoral level, so that they are quickly identified and tackled through the demand-led skills system. National Skills Academies, an expanded Apprenticeships programme and greater freedoms and flexibilities for colleges and other learning providers are all contributing to delivering the skills that employers want. The Government have also established the £50 million a year Growth and Innovation Fund to help in tackling the skills shortages that hold companies back. Training to support the unemployed will play its part with more personalised programmes tailored towards local job opportunities.

Consumers: Protection

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on the coalition agreement commitment to introduce stronger consumer protections, including measures to end unfair bank and financial transaction charges; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Government are taking forward the commitment to end unfair bank charges in the context of a wider strategic approach to strengthen and streamline consumer protections and advocacy, and as part of the joint Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and HM Treasury Consumer Credit and Personal Insolvency Review.
	In July 2011, this Department and HM Treasury published a summary of responses to the call for evidence to the review. The evidence shows that there have been significant developments in the market in recent years. As part of the Office of Fair Trading’s work, banks have committed to introduce measures to improve the transparency of unarranged overdraft charges and many have also revised their charging structures. However, there are still serious concerns about how charges affect consumers, particularly where charges may not be clear or transparent. The Government are working with current account providers to determine the most appropriate course of action to deliver further improvements to consumers. We will, however, regulate to address consumer detriment if suitable alternatives cannot be agreed.
	The Government will make an announcement on this later this year.
	In relation to financial transaction charges, the Government supported an amendment to the consumer rights directive to ban payment surcharges that exceed the costs borne by the trader for use of that means of payment. This will address consumer concerns about the high level of fees charged by some businesses when consumers pay by debit or credit card. The directive should be adopted by the EU shortly and will be implemented into UK law.

Debts: Advisory Services

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Scottish Government on funding for debt advice in Scotland after the end of the Financial Inclusion Fund.

Edward Davey: BIS Ministers have not had discussions with Scottish Ministers on funding for debt advice in Scotland. Officials have, however, met officials from the Scottish Government as part of ongoing dialogue about the future of debt advice provision.
	In order to place debt advice in the future on a more secure footing, the Money Advice Service has agreed to take on responsibility for the coordination of debt advice services from April 2012. The Money Advice Service will carry out a detailed review of the current debt advice landscape to identify the best way that these services can be delivered, and have met Scottish Government officials as part of their work to develop a model which ensures that debt advice is delivered in the most effective and efficient way.

Departmental Advertising

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has spent on (a) television, (b) radio and (c) newspaper advertising in (i) real and (ii) nominal terms between June 2001 and May 2002; and what the total cost to the public purse was.

Edward Davey: For expenditure on advertising by this Department through the Central Office of Information for financial years 2001-02 and 2002-03, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), on 23 July 2004, Official Report, column 752W.
	Information on publicity expenditure from centrally held budgets is contained in the Government's expenditure plans and, more recently, the Department's annual departmental reports, which are available in the Libraries of the House. Figures relating to specific media, other information campaigns, and information on publicity and advertising by non departmental public bodies could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on 5 June 2009 by merging the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). In June 2007 BERR, DIUS and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) were created from the former Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the former Department for Education and Skills (DFES). This reply contains information relating solely to the former DTI.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Edward Davey: The Department currently uses Carlson Wagonlit Travel Ltd for the purchase of airline tickets.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Edward Davey: The Department uses Carlson Wagonlit Travel Ltd (CWT) for the purchase of airline tickets and works closely with CWT to achieve best value through regular contract service review meetings. The contract with CWT is part of a Government Procurement Service (formerly Buying Solutions) framework contract and the contractual obligation under the framework requires, amongst other things, that the contractor provides:
	1. Access to value for money fares;
	2. Provision of lowest fare availability and challenge to higher fare use;
	3. Access to low cost carriers and (to 31 July 2011) the Government Air programme;
	4. Analysis of spend and identification of cost saving opportunities; and
	5. Provision of savings and missed savings management information
	Additionally, all air travel bookings through CWT are pre-notified to line managers who are required to consider and approve the need for travel and the overall cost involved.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Edward Davey: This Department uses the following guidance in commissioning external legal services:
	The Attorney-General's guidelines on the use of the private sector for Government legal work
	Treasury Solicitor's Department's guidance on the use of counsel
	Government Legal Service guidance on the best practice for Government lawyers managing private sector provision of legal services
	Government Legal Services procurement protocol
	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills procurement code and procurement guidance.
	Wherever possible, external legal services are sourced from panels of counsel or solicitors firms which have been appointed following open and competitive selection processes. External solicitors required for advisory work are virtually always sourced from the legal services framework agreement negotiated by Buying Solutions (or as it is now called the Government Procurement Service). Very occasionally the Department goes “off panel” where a particular expertise is required, for example Departments are required to seek the Attorney-General's nomination to use leading counsel.
	The average hourly rate paid to solicitors and barristers could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	This Department has paid hourly rates to panel barristers, solicitors and criminal advocates as set out below. In other circumstances, such as off panel barrister nominations through the Attorney-General's Office, the fee would be negotiable as part of the procurement process.
	Civil Work—hourly rates paid to barristers as set out on the Treasury Solicitor's Department website at:
	http://www.tsol.gov.uk/PanelCounsel/appointments_to_panel.htm
	
		
			   Hourly rate 
			 First Treasury Counsel  £220 
			 Queen's Counsel  £180 to £250 
			    
			 London Panel Rates A Panel of counsel £120 
			  B Panel of counsel £100 
			  C Panel of counsel £60 to £80 
			    
			 Regional Panel Rates 10 + years call £110 
			  Between 5-10 years call £90 
			  Under 5 years call £60 
		
	
	Civil Work—hourly rates paid to solicitors for advisory work
	External solicitors appointed under the Legal Services framework agreement may only charge up to the amount quoted on the framework, hourly rates reflecting different grades of fee earner depending on their years qualified.
	Criminal Work - Advocates
	
		
			  Hourly rate 
			 Queen's Counsel £185 
			 Standing Counsel £125 
		
	
	
		
			 Attorney-General unified list of prosecution advocates 
			  Hourly rate 
			 A List £95 
			 B List £80 
			 C List £70 
		
	
	Criminal work - Solicitors magistrates court
	
		
			  Hourly rate 
			 Preparation £49.70 
			 Advocacy £62.35 
		
	
	Criminal work - Solicitors crown court
	
		
			  Preparation Advocacy Attendance 
			 Senior Solicitor £53 £64.50 £42.25 
			 Solicitor £45 £56.00 £34.00 
		
	
	While we do record instances of where external solicitors and barristers are used and the hourly rate(s) applicable in each case we do not aggregate them to calculate the average overall hourly rate and therefore the information requested could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	Details of advocates who are currently appointed to the Treasury Solicitor's (civil) panels are available at:
	www.tsol.gov.uk/attorney_generals_panel_of_counsel.htm
	Details of the Buying Solutions Legal Services Framework contract and the firms appointed can be found at:
	http://www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk/search/overview/?search_1=legal+services
	Details of some payments made to solicitors and barristers for legal services commissioned in 2010-11 are available on the BIS website at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/financial

Departmental Responsibilities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many meetings he has had with hon. Members of each political party since May 2010.

Edward Davey: The Department does not hold centrally the information you request and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Responsibilities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member of each political party was refused by (a) a Minister in his Department directly and (b) his Department on behalf of a Minister in November 2010.

Edward Davey: This information is not recorded.

Departmental Telephone Services

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding he has allocated to each telephone helpline operated by his Department in 2011-12; and what the purpose is of each such helpline.

Edward Davey: holding answer 6 September 2011
	The Department supports a number of help lines—including the Pay and Work Rights Helpline and the Business Link advice line. In terms of help lines operated by the Department the answer is as follows:
	The Department operates a central Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) inquiry line (020 7215 5000) at a cost of approximately £19,000 per annum to provide businesses and members of the public with advice on the work of the Department and to connect callers to BIS officials. Additionally we operate three other help lines:
	0845 015 0010 BIS publications order line
	0845 015 0020 BIS publications order line (Fax)
	0845 015 0030 BIS publications order line (Minicom)
	at a total cost to date this year of approximately £150.
	United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) a joint Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Foreign and Commonwealth Office body, operate a help line with an approximate cost of £24,500 per annum. All figures noted, apply to rental and maintenance costs and exclude staff costs.

Education: Young Offender Institutions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average (a) reading and (b) mathematics age was of those held in (i) young offenders' institutions and (ii) prisons by 10 year age bands in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the non-prison population comparators were in each such group.

John Hayes: Data are not collected on either the reading age or the mathematics age of prisoners or those held in youth detention.
	The most recent, large scale analysis of the reading and numeracy levels of prisoners remains the Home Office data published in 2003(1) based on basic skills screening assessments. This showed that 37% of prisoners had reading skills below Level 1 and 43% had numeracy skills below Level 1.
	The closest non-prison comparator is the 2003 Skills for Life Survey(2), which showed that 16% of the population had literacy skills below Level 1 and 46% had numeracy skills below Level.
	(1) Prison Statistics England and Wales 2002
	(2) Skills for Life Survey: A National Needs and Impact Survey of Literacy, Numeracy and ICT Skills

Employment Agencies: EU Law

Neil Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has assessed the likely effects of the Agency Workers Regulations on (a) business costs and (b) productivity; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The January 2010 BIS impact assessment “European Parliament and Council Directive on working conditions for temporary agency workers” estimated costs to business at £1.5 billion. The impact assessment identifies a potential benefit of increased productivity through improved access to training for agency workers.
	The Government have worked closely with businesses and the recruitment industry to help them prepare for the changes and have published guidance that will help employers, agencies and agency workers fully understand their obligations and rights as of 1 October.
	I refer my right hon. Friend to the statement I made to Parliament on 19 October 2010, Official Report, columns 49-50WS.

Employment Agencies: EU Law

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of employees who will be affected by the coming into force of the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 in (a) Livingston constituency, (b) West Lothian local authority area and (c) Scotland.

Edward Davey: The focus of the January 2010 BIS impact assessment “European Parliament and Council Directive on working conditions for temporary agency workers” was on the impact on agency workers rather than employees. There is unlikely to be a substantial impact on employees as a result of the agency workers regulations. The impact assessment does not provide a breakdown for the number of agency workers or employees that will be affected by the regulations at constituency and local authority level or within the devolved Administrations.
	The Government have worked closely with businesses and the recruitment industry to help them prepare for the changes and have published guidance that will help employers, agencies and agency workers fully understand their obligations and rights as of 1 October.

Employment: Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to adopt the Think Small First principle in respect of the flow of employment regulation; and if so how this objective will be achieved.

Edward Davey: The Government have gone further than the EU’s “Think Small First” principle by recognising the impact that the regulatory burden can have on the growth of the smallest of businesses. That is why, in April, the Government introduced a moratorium exempting micro and start-up business from new domestic regulation for three years, which also extends to employment laws.
	As set out in the “Plan for Growth”, the Government have also scrapped a number of proposals which would have cost businesses including small and medium-sized enterprises around £340 million a year, such as not extending the right to request Time to Train to companies with fewer than 250 employees.
	Going beyond regulation, the Government have brought forward a number of measures to support small business growth, including extending the current small business rate relief holiday for one year; increasing the rate of small business research and development tax relief and reforming public sector procurement practices to make it much easier for small businesses to access contracting opportunities.

Engineering: Graduates

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students graduated from universities in England with degrees in engineering in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009, (d) 2010 and (e) 2011.

David Willetts: The latest data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) are shown in the table. Figures for the 2010/11 academic year will be available in January 2012.
	
		
			 Qualifiers  (1)   from first degree engineering courses English higher education institutions academic years 2006/07 to 2009/10 
			 Academic year Qualifiers 
			 2006/07 13,605 
			 2007/08 14,015 
			 2008/09 14,410 
		
	
	
		
			 2009/10 15,370 
			 (1) Covers qualifiers of all domiciles from full-time and part-time courses. Note: Figures are based on a HESA qualifications obtained population and have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record

English Language: Education

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for (a) Communities and Local Government and (b) the Home Department on the effects on measures to promote community cohesion and integration of planned reductions in funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages.

John Hayes: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has met the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), and the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on a number of occasions to discuss a wide range of issues.
	This Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government are working in partnership to develop new forms of support for individuals who need language skills to assist with integration and community cohesion. I will announce further details in due course.
	The potential impact on adult learners participating in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses of the changes to eligibility criteria for fee remission proposed in the Government's “Skills for Sustainable Growth” strategy (November 2010) are described in an Equality Impact Assessment, published by this Department on 18 July 2011. This can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/e/11-1045-english-for-speakers-of-other-languages-equality-impact

English Language: Education

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students were enrolled in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses in Coventry local authority area in each year since 2005-06; and what funding his Department provided for ESOL courses in Coventry local authority area in each such year.

John Hayes: The following table shows the number of Government-funded learners in Coventry local education authority participating on an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course from 2005/06 to 2009/10, the latest year for which full-year data are available.
	
		
			 N  umber of learners participating on ESOL courses in Coventry local authority, 2005/06 to 2009/10 
			  Number 
			 2005/06 2,330 
			 2006/07 2,160 
			 2007/08 2,550 
			 2008/09(1) 2,110 
		
	
	
		
			 2009/10(1) 2,510 
			 (1) Figures for 2008/09 onwards are not directly comparable to earlier years as the introduction of demand-led funding has changed how data are collected and how funded learners are defined. More Information on demand-led funding is available at: http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/datadictionary/businessdefinitions/Demand+Led+Funding.htm Notes: 1. These data cover participation in Learner Responsive, Apprenticeships, Train to Gain, Adult Safeguarded Learning and University for Industry provision. Further Education/Learner Responsive provision includes General Further Education Colleges including Tertiary, Sixth Form Colleges—Agricultural and Horticultural Colleges and Art and Design Colleges, Specialist Colleges and External Institutions. 2. Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Geography is based on learner’s home postcode. Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on participation on ESOL courses is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23 June:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	Information on historical ESOL funding at the local geography level is not available as funding is not allocated to FE colleges and providers at the learning aim level. However, the Skills Funding Agency publish information on adult (19 years +) allocations made to individual colleges, providers and employers for each academic year available at the following link:
	http://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/providers/programmes/

English Language: Education

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many adult learners in Coventry local authority area were eligible for a fee remission for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many such people will no longer be eligible for fee remission following the introduction of his proposed changes to ESOL;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the level of demand for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses in the Coventry local authority area;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the number of women from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities who will enter employment of the planned reduction in funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses.

John Hayes: The Government currently provide 50% fee remission for all learners in England participating on ESOL courses who are eligible for public funded skills provision. Those on income based-benefits are eligible for full fee remission. Further education colleges and training organisations also have local discretion to provide fully subsidised courses for people on a wider range of benefits where the training is to help them enter employment.
	From August 2011, where English language skills have been identified as a barrier to entering employment, full Government funding will be provided for ESOL to unemployed people in receipt of jobseekers allowance or in the employment and support allowance (Work-Related Activity) Group. We will also continue to pay 50% of ESOL course fees for people who are settled here. We will no longer fund ESOL courses delivered in the workplace.
	This Department does not make estimates of the demand for courses. Further education (FE) colleges and training providers are responsible for meeting the needs of their local community, and increased freedoms and flexibilities that we have introduced will help them respond and determine within their funding where this is prioritised.
	The potential impact on adult learners participating in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses of the changes to eligibility criteria for fee remission proposed in the Government's ‘Skills for Sustainable Growth’ strategy (November 2010) are described in an equality impact assessment, published by this Department on 18 July 2011. This can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/e/11-1045-english-for-speakers-of-other-languages-equality-impact
	Provision for 2009/10
	The following table shows adult (19+) English for! Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) participation in Coventry local education authority for 2009/10, the latest year for which full year data are available.
	
		
			 Adult (19+) ESOL learner participation in Coventry local authority, 2009/10 
			  Number 
			 2009/10 2,310 
			 Notes: 1. These data cover participation in Learner Responsive, Apprenticeships, Train to Gain, Adult Safeguarded Learning and University for Industry provision. Further Education/Learner Responsive provision includes General Further Education Colleges including Tertiary, Sixth Form Colleges—Agricultural and Horticultural Colleges and Art and Design Colleges, Specialist Colleges and External Institutions. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Geography is based on learner’s home postcode. 4. Age is based on age at the start of the academic year. Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	We do not directly record what type of benefits people are receiving when they take up training. We do, however, collect information on why a learner has received fee remission for any learning they undertake. From these data we can provide some information on claimants but, this should be used with caution given it does not provide an accurate picture of the full range of benefit entitlements that a person has. Using the fees waived field in the individual learner record we can say for the 2009/10 academic year that 1,700 ESOL enrolments for adult (19+) learners in Coventry local education authority received fee remission as the learner was in receipt of an income-related benefit.

English Language: Education

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to publish the equality impact assessment for his planned change to the funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages courses.

John Hayes: The Department published the “Equality Impact Assessment” for English for Speakers of Other Language on the 18 July 2011. This can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/e/11-1045-english-for-speakers-of-other-languages-equality-impact

Entry Clearances: India

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the effect on trade of visa processing times for visitors from India.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has had no specific discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on the impact of visa processing times on trade with India.
	However, close attention has been given to ensuring that visa regime changes have minimal impact on our vital trade relationships, including with India. In 2010, we issued approximately 56,500 business visitor visas and 85% of these were issued within five working days. This year our operation in India is meeting customer processing targets of 90% of non-settlement applications processed within 15 working days.
	We have made a number of enhancements to assist with the visa application process in India and a fast track service is available for an additional fee which expedites the process for visitors who have previously travelled to the UK which has proved very popular. We also operate an expedited service for accredited businesses who send their employees to the UK regularly for work and have translated the business visitor visa application form guidance into six languages, including Hindi. The UK is home to over 700 of the 1,200 Indian companies with bases in Europe. Other changes, such as the entrepreneurs and investors visas, are designed to continue to enhance such close links.
	Longer term visitor visas of two, five, and 10 years are available for visitors who have a history of regular travel to the UK and sustained need to do so.
	The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Secretary of State for the Home Department continue to work closely on immigration policy, and particularly the impact on trade and investment.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what debt payments have been received by the Export Credits Guarantee Department from (a) low and (b) middle-income countries in (i) each of the last five years and (ii) the current financial year to date.

Edward Davey: Categorisation of low and middle-income countries is based on the World Bank’s latest (2011) classification of gross national income (GNI) per capita. The following categories are used: lower income countries (LIC)—$1,005 or less, lower middle income countries (LMIC)—$1,006 to $3,975 and upper middle income countries (UMIC)—$3,976 to $12,275.
	
		
			 Amount of recoveries (principal and interest) 
			 £ million  (1) 
			   2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 
			 Central African Republic LIC — 0.02 — — — — 
			 Guinea LIC 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.02 
			 Kenya LIC 0.73 1.31 1.38 1.99 1.92 1.27 
			 Togo LIC — 13.08 — — — — 
			 Angola LMIC 1.28 — — 25.17 24.54 91.53 
			 Cameroon LMIC — — — — — 23.37 
			 Congo LMIC 3.26 40.75 0.31 — 0.29 0.48 
			 Egypt LMIC 6.55 12.14 12.47 16.21 15.43 13.45 
			 Indonesia LMIC 21.74 65.48 112.15 120.32 107.69 90.03 
			 Iraq LMIC 10.72 2.23 2.06 0.08 — — 
			 Morocco LMIC — — — — 2.38 4.62 
			 Nigeria LMIC — — — — — 656.94 
			 Pakistan LMIC 0.12 0.21 0.46 0.47 0.45 1.35 
			 Philippines LMIC — — — — — 2.58 
			 Senegal LMIC — — — — — 0.89 
			 Vietnam LMIC 0.44 0.80 0.78 1.04 0.99 0.83 
			 Algeria UMIC — — — — — 119.64 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina UMIC 0.03 0.06 0.07 0.09 0.09 0.05 
			 Ecuador UMIC 1.35 2.66 4.24 5.79 6.81 8.20 
			 Gabon UMIC — — — — 112.11 20.36 
			 Grenada UMIC 0.19 0.21 0.24 0.04 0.07 — 
			 Jamaica UMIC — — — 0.20 0.23 0.26 
			 Jordan UMIC — — — — 335.31 19.24 
			 Macedonia UMIC — — — — — 1.98 
			 Montenegro UMIC — — — 0.51 0.02 0.01 
			 Peru UMIC — — — — 62.05 2.88 
			 Russian Federation UMIC — — — — — 390.78 
			 Serbia UMIC — 8.96 10.16 13.36 11.74 10.06 
			 Seychelles UMIC — — 0.02 — — 0.08 
			 Total  46.42 147.92 144.35 185.29 682.14 1,460.9 
			 (1) These figures include payments received by the Export Credits Guarantee Department from the Department for International Development (DFID) on behalf of countries under the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) scheme: Central African Republic, Guinea, Togo, Cameroon, Republic of Congo and Senegal.

Flexible Working

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made on the need for further regulation on flexible working rights.

Edward Davey: The coalition Government have committed to extending the right to request flexible working to all employees.
	On 16 May I consulted on how to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees as part of the Modern Workplaces consultation. I published an impact assessment alongside the consultation on the costs and benefits of the extension.
	The consultation closed on 8 August. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish a Government response, and revised impact assessment, setting out our plans in due course.

Fossil Fuels: Export Credit Guarantees

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress has been made on implementing the coalition agreement commitment to end the Export Credits Guarantee Department's support for fossil fuel projects.

Edward Davey: The Government are still considering how the coalition agreement to ensure that
	“UK Trade and Investment and the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) become champions for British companies that develop and export innovative green technologies around the world, instead of supporting investment in dirty fossil-fuel energy production”
	should be implemented but expect to reach a conclusion by the end of the year. When a decision is taken, an announcement will be made. Meanwhile, ECGD is actively reaching out to exporters of renewable energy equipment and services so that they are aware of the products available from ECGD to provide them with credit protection and facilitate the provision of finance.

Franchises

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will review regulations surrounding franchises to enable franchises to continue trading in circumstances where their parent provider goes into liquidation.

Edward Davey: There are no regulations under company law unique to franchises and there are no plans to introduce them.

Further Education: Buildings

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on college buildings (a) in Jarrow constituency, (b) in South Tyneside, (c) in the North East and (d) nationwide in 2010-11.

John Hayes: In 2010-11, South Tyneside college had three capital projects approved with an estimated value of £4.8 million. This attracted £1.1 million of grant funding from the Department.
	During the same period, 20 capital projects were approved in the North East with an estimated value of £15.8 million, attracting £3.5 million of grant funding from the Department. In addition, £38.2 million was paid out in respect of continuing capital grant commitments.
	Nationally, in 2010-11, 393 capital projects were approved with an estimated value of £308 million, attracting £76.1 million of grant funding from the Department. In addition, the Department paid out £534 million in grant funding in respect of 206 projects with continuing capital grant commitments.

Higher Education: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much capital funding his Department has allocated to (a) York college, (b) the university of York and (c) the university of York St John in each year since 1992.

David Willetts: The capital funding allocated by this Department and its predecessor Departments to York college, the university of York and the university of York St John in each year between 1992 and 2000 is not readily available. However, the capital allocations for each of the institutions named since 2000/01 is as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			  York college University of York University of York St John 
			 2000/01 38,266 0 0 
			 2001/02 10,910 3,530,750 0 
			 2002/03 42,090 3,778,951 1,853,705 
			 2003/04 47,314 9,960,671 480,369 
			 2004/05 15,927 9,598,750 1,695,801 
			 2005/06 6,148,811 8,901,524 95,667 
			 2006/07 7,631,938 3,257,349 900,000 
			 2007/08 7,631,940 16,182,678 939,152 
			 2008/09 77,650 13,211,996 1,308,627 
			 2009/10 113,645 26,823,315 1,251,150 
			 2010/11 202,474 1,746,914 939,136 
			 2011/12 20,617 2,048,369 114,065 
		
	
	The university figures given cover capital payments for both teaching and research—hence the much higher figures for the university of York. A £2 million interest free recoverable grant paid in 2006/07 is included in the allocation to the university of York. This is repayable in future years to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE.)
	Some of the figures provided differ to those provided in my response to the hon. Member for York Central on 14 July 2011, Official Report, column 501W, as HEFCE have changed their definition of ‘capital funding’ for analytical purposes. These differences are as follows:
	Some small funding streams are now included that are outside the mainstream capital allocations targeting Poor Estates, e-Learning strategy, e-University and the Revolving Green Fund.
	Funding for the Joint Research Equipment Initiative and Minority Subjects is now excluded.
	The figures provided for York college now include £693,285 for the period 2000/01 onwards paid by HEFCE in relation to higher education delivery.

Industry

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to promote buying British products and produce; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: This Government fully recognise the importance of UK manufacturing and its key role in rebalancing the economy. Working with business, the Government are taking forward a range of actions to strengthen UK capability in the design, development and manufacture of products and produce. As set out in the Plan for Growth (March 2011) these include actions to improve technology commercialisation, to improve firms access to a skilled workforce, and to improve the image of the sector. In addition, this Department, through UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), is helping to promote UK products and produce to customers abroad, and launched its new strategy in May to help boost economic growth by increasing exports and encouraging foreign companies to invest in the UK.
	Although the Government want to encourage as many jobs and activity in the UK as possible, we operate in a global marketplace, and a large part of the UK's economic success has resulted from our ability to participate in global trade and investment. Favouring domestic suppliers over imports or distorting procurement decisions would damage the long-term prospects of UK companies to compete in world markets and be costly for the UK economy.

Insolvency

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to ensure that after-the-event fee review in insolvency cases does not enable minority creditors or directors to reverse decisions made by the body of creditors as a whole.

Edward Davey: The Department is currently reviewing responses to the consultation on the regulation of insolvency practitioners. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) have recommended that an independent body be set up to deal with complaints about insolvency practitioners and that this could include complaints about the fees they charge. The intention is to improve the way creditors engage in the insolvency process, and I will be announcing the way forward shortly as part of the Government response to the consultation.

Insolvency

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects on creditor returns of after-the-event fee review in insolvency cases where complaints are not upheld.

Edward Davey: The Department is currently reviewing responses to the consultation on the regulation of insolvency practitioners, which sought views on whether an independent complaints body should be set up which would have the power to review the fees they charge. We have not quantified the specific effect on creditor returns where complaints are not upheld. However, the benefits identified within the package of policy options consulted on significantly outweigh the costs of dealing with fee complaints.

Insolvency

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the number of pre-packaged administrations that could be avoided if suppliers were obliged to continue to supply companies in administration.

Edward Davey: It is difficult to estimate with any certainty the number of pre-packaged administrations that could be avoided if suppliers were obliged to continue to supply companies in administration. The Government are aware of the arguments and data put forward by the Association of Business Recovery Professionals in this regard. More detailed assessment would have to look at the implications for all companies, not just those in insolvency, including any 'knock on' insolvency risk for suppliers.

Insolvency

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the number of liquidations that could be averted if suppliers were obliged to continue to supply companies in administration.

Edward Davey: It is difficult to estimate with any certainty the number of liquidations that could be averted if suppliers were obliged to continue to supply companies in administration.
	The Government are aware of the arguments and data put forward by the Association of Business Recovery Professionals in this regard. More detailed analysis would have to look at the implications for all companies, not just those in insolvency, including any 'knock on' insolvency risk for suppliers.

Lighters: Safety

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of pocket lighters on sale in the UK which do not meet safety requirements; what steps his Department has taken to implement Commission Decision 2006/502/EC; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such steps in restricting the availability of unsafe pocket lighters.

Edward Davey: The market surveillance of lighters is the responsibility of local authority trading standards services in Great Britain and district councils in Northern Ireland. BIS officials do not formally assess the effectiveness of this market surveillance, however, we are aware that a number of authorities have been taking action in response to concerns from the industry.
	This Department has not made any recent estimate on the number of pocket lighters on the UK market that do not meet minimum safety standards. However, a press release by the European Federation of Lighter Manufacturers on 22 September estimated that of the 100 million lighters on the UK market up to 79% may be non-compliant. This does not necessarily mean that they are unsafe.
	Each May since 2006 we have issued a direction to the local authorities to implement Commission Decision 2006/502/EC to ensure that only lighters that are child resistant are placed on the market. I will continue to issue directions until the work on the revised European standard on child resistant lighters has reached the point where it can support consistent enforcement across the EU.

Lighters: Safety

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of pocket lighters on sale that do not meet minimum safety standards; whether his Department has assessed the fire risks presented by such lighters; and what steps his Department has taken to ensure that trading standards officers remove such products from the market.

Edward Davey: The market surveillance of lighters is the responsibility of Local Authority Trading Standards Services in Great Britain and District Councils in Northern Ireland. BIS officials do not formally assess the effectiveness of this market surveillance, however, we are aware that a number of authorities have been taking action in response to concerns from the industry.
	This Department has not made an estimate on the number of pocket lighters on the UK market that do not meet minimum safety standards. However, a press release by the European Federation of Lighter Manufacturers on 22 September estimates that of the 100 million lighters on the UK market up to 79% may be non-compliant.
	The collection of fire statistics is a responsibility of the Department for Communities and Local Government. UK fire statistics show that seven people died in 2009/10 in fires caused by cigarette lighters. However, the fire statistics do not identify whether the lighters were unsafe.
	Each May since 2006 we have issued a Direction to the local authorities to implement Commission Decision 2006/502/EC to ensure that only lighters that are child resistant are placed on the market. I will continue to issue Directions until the work on the revised European standard on child resistant lighters has reached the point where it can support consistent enforcement across the EU.

Mass Media

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what the total cost to the public purse was of his Department's national media coverage evaluations in each month between June 2001 and May 2002;
	(2)  how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers his Department employed between June 2001 and May 2002; and what the cost to the public purse was in (i) cash and (ii) real terms of such appointments.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on 5 June 2009 by the machinery of government (MOG) change merging the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). Neither of these two predecessor Departments existed in 2001-02.
	Due to the age of the information requested and the machinery of Government changes since that period, an answer could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Medical Research Council

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  whether the Medical Research Council accepts funding from non-public sources; how much such funding has been received in the last five years for which figures are available; from what sources; and for what purposes;
	(2)  how much was given to the Medical Research Council from the public purse in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

David Willetts: The Medical Research Council (MRC) receives its core funding allocation from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in line with the Government spending review cycle. The MRC also receives additional funding from other stakeholders to take forward collaborative projects and joint initiatives which increase the impact of the MRC's work and the public funding it receives. This includes funding from other Government Departments, such as the Department of Health and the Department for International Development and the other UK health departments, Government agencies such as the Food Standards Agency, the NHS and other UK research councils, and other stakeholders including medical research charities. The MRC also receives funding from other grant awarding bodies in the UK and overseas which supports research projects MRC research units and institutes. In addition, the MRC receives royalty income derived from the successful exploitation of the research it funds.
	A summary of MRC funding, including a breakdown of public and non-public funding is shown in the following table. Further information can be found in the MRC's annual report and accounts, available from
	www.mrc.ac.uk
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2009/10 2008/09 2007/08 2006/07 2005/06 
			 Total resource and capital expenditure per finance tables in annual account 868.8 809.7 687.1 622.8 567.6 
			       
			 Funded by:      
			 Core funding from BIS(1) 722.5 680.8 550.0 548.5 500.4 
			 External income (see breakdown below) 95.0 80.1 76.7 74.3 67.2 
			 Royalty income and commercial fund interest 51.3 48.8 60.4 — — 
			 Total 868.8 809.7 687.1 622.8 567.6 
			 (1) Includes non cash. 
		
	
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2009/10 2008/09 2007/08 2006/07 2005/06 
			 External income 95.0 80.1 76.7 74.3 67.2 
		
	
	
		
			 Public 41.1 39.9 43.7 46.3 42.4 
			 Other research councils 9.7 5.9 5.5 3.5 3.4 
			 European Commission 7.2 7.4 6.7 4.9 3.2 
			 Human Frontiers Science programme (an International funding organisation) — 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 
			 Health authorities and NHS Trusts 4.4 1.7 2.1 1.6 1.5 
			 Universities 2.0 8.5 5.6 3.6 2.8 
			 Contributions from other Government Departments 17.8 16.2 23.6 32.5 31.2 
			       
			 Non public 53.9 40.2 33.0 28.0 24.8 
			 Collaboration with Industry 13.2 11.9 11.3 3.4 1.1 
			 Charities 14.9 14.9 15.7 15.5 14.8 
			 Contributions and grants from other bodies 8.9 — — 3.2 3.8 
			 Sales and other income 16.9 13.0 5.9 5.7 5.1 
			 Interest — 0.4 0.1 0.2 —

Metals

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to establish a list of cash transactions at scrap metal yards.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 13 September 2011
	I have been asked to reply.
	The Government recognise the significance of metal theft to the United Kingdom and that some scrap metal yards are a disposal route for stolen metal. The Home Office is in discussion with other Government Departments to identify whether any legislative changes should be made to tackle the theft of metal.

Metals

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration his Department has given to establishing a register of cash transactions at scrap metal yards.

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government recognise the significance of metal theft to the United Kingdom and that some scrap metal yards are a disposal route for stolen metal. The Home Office is in discussion with other Government Departments to identify whether any legislative changes should be made to tackle the theft of metal.

National Apprenticeship Service

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills who the chief accounting officer for the National Apprenticeship Service is; and what plans he has for the future of this role.

John Hayes: The chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service is the accounting officer for the National Apprenticeship Service. Under his leadership, the National Apprenticeship Service has end to end responsibility for apprenticeships including the delivery of the programme and accountability for ensuring high quality standards and value for money for the public investment in apprenticeships.

Nuclear Reactors: Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what research and development the UK research councils are funding on (a) nuclear engineering design and (b) the building of the next generation of nuclear reactors.

David Willetts: The research councils co-ordinate funding for energy research through the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Energy Programme which brings together all facets of energy research, knowledge transfer, engagement, and training across the councils, in a programme which includes nuclear fission. The RCUK Energy Programme currently (as of July 2011) has a nuclear portfolio of £48 million of projects.
	Projects totalling £23 million are directly relevant to the next generation of nuclear reactors but many other projects will provide underpinning research that will also be useful in this area.

Overseas Students

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the (a) number and (b) country of origin of foreign nationals who have attended an (i) independent college, (ii) maintained college and (iii) university in each of the last five academic years.

David Willetts: The numbers of European Union (EU) and non-EU domiciled enrolments at English higher education institutions are shown for the academic years 2005/06 to 2009/10 in Table 1 which will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Information on the nationality of enrolments in higher education is not comprehensive and country of domicile is provided as a more robust alternative. Figures are taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record which covers students studying in the United Kingdom (UK). Information for the 2010/11 academic year will become available from January 2012.
	Table 2 as follows shows the number of learners participating in English further education colleges with a country of domicile of EU, non-EU, UK and non-UK in 2005/06 to 2009/10, the latest years for which final data are available. Information on the nationality of learners in further education is not available. However, colleges do capture country of domicile information for funding purposes.
	Further education colleges include general further education colleges, sixth-form colleges, special colleges (agricultural and horticultural colleges and art and design colleges) and specialist colleges. Information for independent and maintained colleges is not available.
	
		
			 Table 2: Further education learner participation in colleges by country of domicile, 2005/06 to 2009/10 
			 Number 
			 Country of domicile 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 
			 EU 2,978,740 2,417,570 2,487,540 2,660,620 2,552,840 
			 Non-EU 8,170 6,930 6,900 7,100 5,990 
			       
			 UK 2,952,250 2,391,210 2,464,700 2,640,490 2,536,730 
			 Non-UK 34,660 33,300 29,740 27,230 22,100 
			       
			 Not known 40,450 133,140 50,790 117,460 106,970 
			       
			 Total 3,027,360 2,557,650 2,545,230 2,785,170 2,665,790 
			 Notes: 1. These data include learning in the Learner Responsive, Apprenticeship, Train to Gain, Adult Safeguarded Learning and University for Industry funding streams delivered in general further education colleges including tertiary, sixth-form colleges, special colleges (agricultural and horticultural colleges and art and design colleges), specialist colleges and external institutions. 2. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. UK figures include learners with a country of domicile of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. 4. EU countries are as defined at the start of the 2009/10 academic year. Source: Individualised Learner Record. 
		
	
	Government-funded learning as recorded on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) for further education is restricted to home learners. Therefore funded learners who are non-EEA (European Economic Area) nationals must have been resident in the UK for the three years preceding their course start date and the main purpose for residence must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of that three-year period. There are a limited number of exceptions to this, for example—refugees, learners with indefinite leave to remain status, or learners studying under reciprocal exchange agreements.
	Information on further education and skills participation and achievement is published in a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 23 June 2011:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current

Overseas Trade: Bangladesh

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage the development of business and trade links between Bangladesh and (a) Leicester and (b) the East Midlands.

Mark Prisk: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) supports trade and business links between the whole of the UK and Bangladesh. Support is accessible to companies from any city or region in the UK, including Leicester and the East Midlands, through UKTI's network of international trade advisers.
	UKTI has four trade officers based at the British high commission in Dhaka, who provide advice and support to UK companies who are either interested or active in the country and to Bangladeshi companies wishing to import from or invest in the UK. UKTI works with Bangladesh business support groups including the Bangladesh Brand Forum, Wales Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce, Gateway Asia and the Bangladesh high commission in London by advising and supporting relevant business related activity.

Overseas Trade: Pakistan

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage the development of business and trade links between Pakistan and (a) Leicester and (b) the East Midlands.

Mark Prisk: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) supports trade and business links between the whole of the UK and Pakistan. Support is accessible to companies from any city or region in the UK, including Leicester and the East Midlands, including through UKTI's international trade advisers. The Government are focused on the development of business links between the UK and Pakistan through the trade and business relations strand of the Prime Minister-led Enhanced Strategic Dialogue.
	UKTI has six trade officers in three locations (Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore), who provide advice and support to UK companies who are either interested or active in the country. It works closely with the Pakistan high commission in the UK, including with the Consul in Manchester, and organised a major Doing Business in Pakistan event on 10 February 2011 in London, with 80 business representatives from across the UK.

Police: Compensation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to his written statement of 11 August 2011, Official Report, columns 119-21WS, how many claims for financial compensation have been made to each police authority under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886; what the monetary value is of payments made to date; what the monetary value is of outstanding claims; what the monetary value is of claims made to date under the High Street Support Scheme; how much has been paid out to date under the scheme; how many claims remain outstanding; and when he expects all outstanding claims to be paid.

Nick Herbert: I have been asked to reply.
	Police authorities are receiving claims under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 from individuals affected by the riots and direct from insurers for the cost of damage to property and their contents during the riots. The full extent of the costs will not be known until after the 42 day deadline for claims.
	35 local authorities have registered an intention to claim assistance under the High Street Support Scheme but no actual claims have been received yet and therefore no funding paid out. The deadline for receipt of claims is 7 November. We will pay valid claims within 15 days of receipt.

Postal Services

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the role of access customers in providing support to Royal Mail to deliver its universal service obligation.

Edward Davey: Government commissioned the independent Hooper report of 2008 and update of 2010 to assess the effects of liberalisation on the postal services market. Among its findings, the Hooper report said access prices should reflect costs, but users should not pay for inefficiencies and competitors should not be subsidised.
	The Postal Services Act 2011 provides Ofcom, as the new regulator, with a primary duty in relation to post to secure the provision of a universal postal service throughout the UK. Among other things, the Act provides Ofcom with the power to require other postal operators (including access users) to contribute towards the cost of the universal service.
	This option would only be considered if it was ever determined that it was unfair for the universal service provider to bear the whole of the financial burden for providing a universal service throughout the UK. More information about the Postal Services Act 2011 can be found on the Department's website:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/postal-services

Postal Services: Competition

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effects of competition in the mail services sector.

Edward Davey: Government commissioned the independent Hooper report of 2008 and update of 2010 to assess the effects of liberalisation on the postal services market. Among its findings, the Hooper report said that postal competition remains important in keeping pressure on Royal Mail to improve its performance, offering choice to customers and driving innovation across the whole market.
	The Postal Services Act 2011 (PSA2011), which was enacted in June, provides for the implementation of Hooper's package of recommendations—enabling private sector investment in Royal Mail, fixing the regulatory regime and tackling Royal Mail's pension deficit. More information on Hooper's findings and the Postal Services Act 2011 can be found on the Department's website:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/postal-services

Public Sector

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on the effect of the public sector on (a) the creation of local jobs and (b) economic recovery; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has met the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), from time to time to discuss issues of mutual concern to their Departments.

Research Councils

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the geographic spread is of the membership of research council committees in each region.

David Willetts: The regional spread of council members for each research council is as follows:
	
		
			  AHRC BBSRC EPSRC ESRC MRC NERC STFC 
			 South-west 1 1 2 3 — 4 1 
			 South-east 3 4 3 1 — — 5 
			 London 6 1 5 6 6 4 1 
			 East — 4 2 — 1 1 1 
			 West midlands 1 1 — 2 — — 2 
			 East midlands — 1 1 — — 1 1 
			 North-west — 2 — — — 1 — 
			 Yorkshire 1 — 1 — 1 2 — 
			 North-east — — — — 1 — — 
			 Scotland 2 1 1 2 3 2 — 
			 Wales — 2 — — 1 — — 
			 Northern Ireland — — — — — — — 
			 International — — 2 — 2 — — 
		
	
	The location is determined by institution where the council member is employed or where they live, which ever is more appropriate.

Serco

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many contracts his Department holds with SERCO; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

Edward Davey: BIS have only one contract with Serco. The details are as follows:
	There is a joint contract for Technical Assessments of Queen's Awards applications with SERCO, BETA and ERM. SERCO is the lead partner to this contract and payments are made directly to them. The contract is for three years and valued at £600,000 (£200,000 per annum) however the final value will be determined by the number of applications received for each award category.

Students: Immigration

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding the potential effect of reforms to the student immigration system on the higher education sector;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding the potential effect of reforms to the student immigration system on economic growth.

David Willetts: Ministers from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have met regularly with Ministers from the Home Office since the formation of the coalition Government to discuss a number of issues relating to the changes to and implementation of the student immigration system. We have discussed the potential impact of the reforms on the sector reflecting consultation with the sector as well as the details of implementation of the new regulations.

Union Modernisation Fund

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 12 September 2011, Official Report, column 1043W, on Union Modernisation Fund, how much has been given to the Campaign Company from the Union Modernisation Fund (UMF) Project, by UMF project.

Edward Davey: A list of the Union Modernisation Fund (UMF) projects who have worked with the Campaign Company and the amounts paid to the company are as follows. These amounts include matched funding as well as UMF grants.
	
		
			 Union Modernisation Fund   round one projects 
			 Union Project title Amount paid (£) 
			 Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) Membership Diversity and Membership and Communication Systems 68,816.56 
			 Community and District Nursing Association (CDNA) Developing the Virtual Union empowering members in a small union 10,379.07 
			 GMB Race and Diversity 66,510.60 
		
	
	
		
			 Union Modernisation Fund round two projects 
			 Union Project title Amount paid (£) 
			 Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) Modernising our Organisation 10,500.00 
			 GMB Developing Modern Management Methods in the GMB 76,210.05 
			 Musicians’ Union (MU) Managing Change: Transforming our Traditional Structures 47,452.13 
		
	
	
		
			 Union Modernisation Fund round three projects  (1) 
			 Union Project title Amount paid (£) 
			 Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) Reaching Out 32,690.20 
			 GMB Engaging Communities and Building Social Capital 13,488.00 
			 Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) Engaging Vulnerable Workers 56,689.10 
			 (1) These projects are not yet complete.

Vacancies

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the findings of the British Chambers of Commerce Workforce Survey, Micro Businesses, on the ability of employers to fill vacancies.

Edward Davey: This Department is leading the cross-Government employment law review and is looking at all evidence about the operation of underpinning legislative framework and burdens on business, including from business representative groups, trades unions and other stakeholders. A key objective of the review is making it easier for a business to take on staff. The review will also consider ideas that emerge from the Red Tape Challenge aimed at facilitating the recruitment of employees by businesses.

York College: Finance

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what budget his Department has provided for York college in (a) cash and (b) real terms in each year since 2004.

John Hayes: The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) (and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) prior to April 2010) has responsibility for funding post-19 further education (FE) and skills training. Funding allocations to York college by the LSC and the SFA for post-19 FE and skills are provided in the following table.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Academic year 19+ cash allocation  (1) Real terms 2011-12  (2) 
			 Skills Funding Agency 2011/12 3,440,461 3,440,461 
			  2010/11 3,456,250 3,556,481 
			 Transition from LSC to Agency and YPLA    
			 Learning and Skills Council 2009/10 2,417,724 2,561,612 
			  2008/09 2,677,257 2,882,777 
			  2007/08 3,153,330 3,489,345 
		
	
	
		
			  2006/07 3,341,370 3,803,354 
			  2005/06 2,892,360 3,402,776 
			  2004/05 3,953,000 4,734,931 
			 (1)  Source: Skills Funding Agency allocation data for 19+ participation (excluding additional learning support) and discretionary learner support. (2) These figures have been calculated using HM Treasury deflators, last updated 28 June 2011.

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to paragraph 4.4.1 of the NHS Information Centre publication, Statistics on Alcohol: England 2011, which disease, injury or condition accounts for the largest proportion of the increase in alcohol-related admissions since 2002-03.

Anne Milton: Hypertensive diseases accounts for the largest proportion of increase in alcohol-related admissions since 2002-03. This is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Alcohol-related  (1)   NHS  (2)   hospital admissions  (3)  , 2002-03 to 2009-10  (4,5)  , England 
			 ICD-10 Code  (6)  2002-03 2009-10 Increase from 2002-03 to 2009-10 % of total increase 
			 Total  510,800 1,057,000 546,200 — 
			 Total—wholly attributable(7)  131,100 265,200 134,100 25 
			 F10 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol 83,400 177,400 94,000 17 
			 F10.0 Acute intoxication 22,400 55,200 32,800 6 
			 F10.1 Harmful use 18,300 41,100 22,800 4 
			 F10.2 Dependence syndrome 29,500 54,700 25,200 5 
			 F10.3 Withdrawal state 9,200 21,900 12,700 2 
			 F10.4 Withdrawal state with delirium 1,200 1,200 0 0 
			 F10.5 Psychotic disorder 600 500 -100 0 
			 F10.6 Amnesic syndrome 600 1,100 500 0 
			 F10.7 Residual and late-onset psychotic disorder 500 600 100 0 
			 F10.8 Other mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol 100 100 0 0 
			 F10.9 Unspecified mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol 1,100 1,000 -100 0 
			 K70 Alcoholic liver disease 25,700 43,100 17,400 3 
			 K70.0 Alcoholic fatty liver 400 1,000 600 0 
			 K70.1 Alcoholic hepatitis 1,600 2,700 1,100 0 
			 K70.2 Alcoholic fibrosis and sclerosis of liver 200 200 0 0 
			 K70.3 Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver 7,200 16,400 9,200 2 
			 K70.4 Alcoholic hepatic failure 1,100 2,600 1,500 0 
			 K70.9 Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified 15,300 20,200 4,900 1 
			 T51(8) Toxic effect of alcohol 16,000 33,600 17,600 3 
			 T51.0 Toxic effect of ethanol 12,300 30,300 18,000 3 
			 T51.1 Toxic effect of methanol 100 0 -100 0 
			 T51.9 Toxic effect of alcohol, unspecified 3,600 3,300 -300 0 
			 Other wholly—attributable conditions  6,000 11,200 5,200 1 
			 E24.4 Alcohol-induced pseudo-Cushing's syndrome 0 0 0 0 
			 G31.2 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol 400 700 300 0 
			 G62.1 Alcoholic polyneuropathy 200 300 100 0 
			 G72.1 Alcoholic myopathy 100 100 0 0 
			 I42.6 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy 800 1,100 300 0 
			 K29.2 Alcoholic gastritis 1,200 1,900 700 0 
			 K86.0 Chronic pancreatitis (alcohol induced) 3,100 7,000 3,900 1 
			 X45 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol 200 200 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Total—partly attributable(9)  379,700 791,700 412,000 75 
			 Accidents and injuries  20,000 27,000 7,000 1 
			 W78-W79 Inhalation of gastric contents/Inhalation and ingestion of food causing obstruction of the respiratory tract 200 700 500 0 
			 W00-W19 Fall injuries 17,400 23,800 6,400 1 
			 W24-W31 Work/machine injuries 1,400 1,500 100 0 
			 W32-W34 Firearm injuries 200 100 -100 0 
			 W65-W74 Drowning 0 0 0 0 
			 X00-X09 Fire injuries 600 700 100 0 
			 X31 Accidental excessive cold 100 200 100 0 
			 Violence  21,700 28,100 6,400 1 
			 X60-X84, Y10-Y33 Intentional self-harm/Event of undetermined intent 14,200 19,600 5,400 1 
			 X85-Y09 Assault 7,500 8,500 1,000 0 
			 Transport accidents  5,700 5,400 -300 0 
			 V02-V04 (.1, .9), V06.1, V09.2, V09.3 Pedestrian traffic accidents 1,100 1,100 0 0 
			 For codes see footnote 10 Road traffic accidents—non-pedestrian 4,500 4,200 -300 0 
			 V90-V94 Water transport accidents 100 100 0 0 
			 V95-V97 Air/space transport accidents   0 0 
			 Spontaneous abortion  8,700 9,300 600 0 
			 O03 Spontaneous abortion 8,700 9,300 600 0 
			 Digestive  14,000 22,200 8,200 2 
			 K22.6 Gastro-oesophageal laceration-haemorrhage syndrome 1,100 1,200 100 0 
			 K73, K74 Unspecified liver disease 5,800 11,800 6,000 1 
			 K85, K86.1 Acute and chronic pancreatitis 3,300 3,900 600 0 
			 I85 Oesophageal varices 3,700 5,400 1,700 0 
			 Cancer  29,400 36,900 7,500 1 
			 C00-C14 Malignant neoplasm of lip, oral cavity and pharynx 5,200 9,700 4,500 1 
			 C15 Malignant neoplasm of oesophagus 7,800 7,400 -400 0 
			 C32 Malignant neoplasm of larynx 1,200 1,500 300 0 
			 C18 Malignant neoplasm of colon 2,800 2,200 -600 0 
			 C20 Malignant neoplasm of rectum 2,800 2,100 -700 0 
			 C22 Malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile ducts 500 700 200 0 
			 C50 Malignant neoplasm of breast 9,100 13,300 4,200 1 
			 Hypertensive diseases  136,000 383,900 247,900 45 
			 I10-I15 Hypertensive diseases 136,000 383,900 247,900 45 
			 Cardiac arrhythmias  87,000 182,300 95,300 17 
			 I47-I48 Cardiac arrhythmias 87,000 182,300 95,300 17 
			 Other partly-attributable conditions  57,200 96,600 39,400 7 
			 G40-G41 Epilepsy and Status epilepticus 48,800 86,500 37,700 7 
			 I60-I62, I69.0-I69.2 Haemorrhagic stroke 2,900 2,400 -500 0 
			 I63-I66, I69.3, I69.4 Ischaemic stroke 1,600 1,200 -400 0 
		
	
	
		
			 L40 excluding cirrhosis L40.5 Psoriasis 4,000 6,500 2,500 0 
			 (1) The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO). This methodology includes a wide range of diseases, injuries and conditions in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Finished admission episodes are identified where an alcohol-related diagnosis is recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Admission Statistics record. For each of these episodes, an attributable fraction is applied, based on the diagnostic codes, age group and gender of the patient. Where there is more than one alcohol-related condition among the diagnostic codes, the condition with the largest attributable fraction is used. Where there are two or more codes with the maximum attributable fraction, the code from the earliest diagnostic position is used. This method is employed to avoid double counting of the admission episodes related to alcohol and therefore each episode contributes to one cell in the table. The total number of alcohol-related admissions is arrived at by summing up the number of episodes counted against each alcohol-related condition. (2) The data include activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. (3) A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one health care provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (4) Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). (5) Data includes only ordinary, day cases and maternity admissions, where the age and sex of the patient was known and where the region of residence was one of the English regions or no fixed abode or unknown. (6) International Classification of Diseases. (7) Wholly attributable conditions are alcohol-specific by definition and so have an attributable fraction of one. (8) The totals shown for T51—Toxic effect of alcohol, do not include the full breakdown for ICD-10 code T51, only T51.0, T51.1 and T51.9 as these cover types of alcohol most commonly found in alcoholic drinks. (9) Partially attributable conditions are those where some but not all cases are a result of alcohol consumption and so have an attributable fraction of less than one (10) ICD-10 codes for road traffic accidents: V12-V14 (.3 -.9), V19.4-V19.6, V19.9, V20-V28 (.3 -.9), V29-V79 (.4 -.9), V80.3-V80.5, V81.1, V82.1, V82.9, V83.0-V86 (.0 -.3), V87.0-V87.9, V89.2, V89.3, V89.9. Note: Admission numbers for 2003-03 to 2006-07 have been updated to include records relating to disease codes K73 (chronic hepatitis) and L40 (psoriasis), that were excluded unintentionally from the previous figures. As a result the latest figures are slightly higher than those published in the 2009 report. The minimum effect at a national level is to increase the total number of admissions by 543 admissions (0.07%) in 2005-06, while the maximum effect is an increase of 2,946 (0.37%) in 2006-07. Sources: Figures provided by The Department of Health based on: 1. Hospital Episode Statistics, The NHS Information Centre—Data for total number of admissions for each ICD-10 code. 2. North West Public Health Observatory—Attributable fractions for alcohol-related ICD-10 codes.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 916W, on alcoholic drinks: misuse, what the primary diagnoses were for the 74 per cent. of admissions in which the primary diagnosis was not attributable to alcohol.

Anne Milton: The data for the primary diagnoses for the 74% of admission in which primary diagnosis was not attributable to alcohol are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Admissions with an alcohol-related diagnosis, where the primary diagnosis was not alcohol-related 
			 ICD-10 Chapter ICD-10 Codes Title Estimated number of alcohol-related admissions 
			 I A00-B99 Certain infectious and parasitic diseases 7,150 
			 II C00-D48 Neoplasms 55,729 
			 III D50-D89 Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism 13,783 
			 IV E00-E90 Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases 14,222 
			 V F00-F99 Mental and behavioural disorders 8,383 
			 VI G00-G99 Diseases of the nervous system 15,456 
			 VII H00-H59 Diseases of the eye and adnexa 33,797 
			 VIII H60-H95 Diseases of the ear and mastoid process 1,894 
			 IX I00-I99 Diseases of the circulatory system 39,819 
			 X J00-J99 Diseases of the respiratory system 51,900 
			 XI K00-K93 Diseases of the digestive system 79,567 
			 XII L00-L99 Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue 14,928 
			 XIII M00-M99 Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 60,504 
			 XIV N00-N99 Diseases of the genitourinary system 43,720 
			 XV O00-099 Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium 4,245 
			 XVI P00-P96 Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period 1 
			 XVII Q00-Q99 Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities 1,291 
			 XVIII R00-R99 Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified 135,891 
			 XIX S00-T98 Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes 176,289 
			 XX V01-Y98 External causes of morbidity and mortality  
			 XXI Z00-Z99 Factors influencing health status and contact with health services 20,794 
			 XXII U00-U99 Codes for special purposes — 
			     
			   Total 779,363

Anti-Slavery Day

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to mark Anti-Slavery day 2011.

Simon Burns: The Government are planning to mark Anti-Slavery day with a range of events including the launch of a training and referral process for the airline industry with a major United Kingdom airline.
	The Government are fully committed to combating human trafficking by tackling organised crime groups and protecting the victims of this modern day slavery.
	The Government published their strategy on human trafficking on 19 July. The strategy reiterates the UK’s intention to take a comprehensive approach to combating trafficking—both by focusing on tackling traffickers and maintaining effective care for victims.
	The strategy also sets out our commitment to raising awareness of trafficking among the public and the private sector. The Government recognise the importance of Anti-Slavery day as an opportunity to improve understanding and increase vigilance in our communities.

Blood: Donors

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons sexually active gay and bisexual men are not permitted to donate blood irrespective of their sexual history; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The independent scientific Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs, following advice from an expert Working Group comprised of relevant clinical experts and stakeholders from campaigning and equalities (the National Aids Trust, Gay Men Fighting AIDS, Stonewall and the Terence Higgins Trust) and patient (UK Thalassaemia Society and Sickle Cell Society) groups, has recommended that the current lifetime deferral from blood donation for men who have had sex with men should be changed to a twelve-month deferral. This change has been accepted in England, Wales and Scotland and will be implemented from 7 November 2011.
	The 12-month deferral period was recommended as the evidence showed that in the UK men who have had sex with men as a group continue to be at a statistically higher risk of contracting blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B. Due to the nature of hepatitis B virus infection, and of the screening tests used, it is necessary to allow 12 months from any higher risk behaviour as this is long enough for the donor to have undergone and recovered from an infection.

Blood: Donors

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the restriction on blood donation by men who have had sex with men in the previous 12 months with anti-discrimination legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Equality Act 2010 was considered as part of the review by the independent scientific Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) of donor deferral periods. The Act states that blood services do not contravene anti-discrimination legislation by excluding people from donating blood as long as this exclusion or deferral is based on a reasonable and reliable assessment of risk to the public or the individual.
	SaBTO has recently recommended, on the basis of an assessment of risk based on the most up to date scientific evidence, that for men who have had sex with men a permanent deferral is not required and that a fixed period deferral of 12 months from latest relevant sexual contact is sufficient to maintain the safety of the blood supply. The change will be implemented by the blood services in England, Wales and Scotland on 7 November 2011.

Botulinum Toxin

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he has any plans to introduce a minimum age limit for administration of Botulinum toxin;
	(2)  what recent representations he has received on the unauthorised administration of Botulinum toxin.

Simon Burns: Seven botulinum toxin-containing products are authorised in the United Kingdom: Botox, Dysport, Neurobloc, Xeomin, Azzulure, Bocouture and Vistabel.
	Dysport and Botox are authorised for the treatment of children aged two years and above with cerebral palsy to control foot deformity caused by persistent muscle spasm in the leg. These products should be administered in hospital or specialist centres.
	Neurobloc, Xeomin, Azzalure, Bocouture and Vistabel are not authorised for the treatment of children. The Summaries of Product Characteristics and Patient Information Leaflet for these products state that the safety and efficacy in children (under 18 years) have not been demonstrated.
	Any referral received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which involves a suspected breach of regulatory requirements will be passed to the MHRA's Enforcement Group to take further action. Over the past 12 months, the MHRA's Enforcement Group has received 26 referrals concerning botulinum toxin which has either been administered or advertised for administration in circumstances where it was suspected that the regulatory requirements were not/would not have been complied with.
	Organisations that offer the therapeutic use of botox in the national health service are properly regulated. A check of the Department's correspondence and parliamentary questions database has not identified any recent representations specifically about unauthorised use, though it has received other inquiries (for example about whether botox is licensed for specific indications) and representations about cosmetic provision by unqualified practitioners.
	Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are collected by the MHRA and Commission for Human Medicines through the spontaneous reporting scheme; the Yellow Card Scheme. Up to the 15 September 2011, the MHRA has received a total of 317 UK spontaneous suspected ADR reports associated with clostridium botulinum toxin. It is important to note that the extent of off-label use cannot be calculated using ADR data from the Yellow Card Scheme; the indication for use of the suspect drug on an ADR report is not always provided and also it is recognised that there is under-reporting of suspected ADRs through spontaneous reporting schemes such as the Yellow Card Scheme.
	The Department urges anyone considering botox treatment for cosmetic purposes to check
	www.treatmentsyoucantrust.co.uk
	for a list of practitioners with appropriate qualifications.

Breast Feeding

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of breastfeeding on (a) emotional comfort, (b) maternal infant bonding and (c) long-term neurological development.

Anne Milton: The Department has not made any formal assessment of the effects of breastfeeding on emotional comfort, maternal infant bonding and the long term neurological development.
	In 2009 the Department commissioned the University of Oxford to undertake a study to examine the effects of breastfeeding on behavioural development in children aged five years. Though the findings, published in May 2011, suggest that children who were breastfed for at least four months were less likely to have behavioural problems at age five, the authors concluded that this observation might have not been the direct result of breastfeeding.
	The Department recognises the importance of breastfeeding and the health benefits it provides to both the mothers and infants. In particular, breastfeeding can protect infants from infections and can reduce the risk of obesity in later childhood.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities have indicated they will increase the level of fees they pay to care homes in the 2011-12 financial year.

Paul Burstow: The detail of contracting arrangements between local authorities and independent sector care homes, including the level of fees, is a matter for local decision between local authorities and providers. Information about the level of fees is not collected centrally. However, according to the independent analysts Laing and Buisson, the majority of local authorities in England have not increased their fees in 2011-12.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care home residents were funded by the relevant local authority in (a) Coventry and (b) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: Data on the number of adults (aged 18 and over) in receipt of local authority funded registered residential and nursing care is collected and published by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care. However, all local authority supported residents can be charged for their care, following a financial assessment by the local authority to decide what each resident can afford to pay towards the cost of their care.
	We are informed by the Information Centre that there were 1,000 clients aged 18 and over in receipt of local authority funding as at 31 March 2010 in Coventry.
	There were also 226,000 clients aged 18 and over in receipt of local authority funding as at 31 March 2010 in England.
	Provisional data for the year ending 31 March 2011 is planned to be published in November 2011.

Care UK: Correspondence

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of each item of correspondence he has received from Care UK management since October 2010.

Simon Burns: The Department's correspondence database contains no correspondence from Care UK addressed to the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley).

Cataracts: Waiting Lists

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for cataract treatment in each region.

Simon Burns: The provisional 2010-11 mean and median waiting times for cataract treatment in each strategic health authority (SHA) are provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Mean and median waiting time  (1)   and count of finished admission episodes (FAEs)  (2)   for main procedures  (3)   of cataract treatment  (3)   within each SHA of commissioner  (4)  ; 2010-11 (provisional data) 
			 Activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			 SHA of commissioner Total episodes in each SHA of commissioner Mean waiting time (days) Median waiting time (days) 
			 Total 342,733 64 57 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority 21,263 58 56 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority 46,519 68 63 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority 35,123 56 48 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority 29,879 59 56 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 33,858 69 63 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority 35,621 60 52 
			 London Strategic Health Authority 44,420 58 50 
			 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 29,118 71 64 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority 22,886 71 65 
		
	
	
		
			 South West Strategic Health Authority 38,896 73 67 
			 Foreign (including Other British Isles, Isle of Man and Channel Islands) 882 n/a n/a 
			 Unknown 4,268 34 21 
			 (1) Time waited (days) statistics from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are not the same as published Referral to Treatment (RTT) time waited statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients between decision to admit and admission to hospital within a given period. Published RTT waiting statistics measure the time waited between referral and start of treatment. Unlike HES, RTT waiting time data is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension. (2) The mean and median waiting time and a count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) with a main procedure for cataract treatments has been provided within each SHA of commissioner; for the latest year 2010-11 (which is currently provisional data). (3) Main procedure—contains four cataract treatments. The first recorded procedure or intervention in each episode, usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details, (eg time waited), but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedures. The following combination of OPCS-4 codes were specified to identify cataract treatment: C71—Extracapsular extraction of lens C72—Intracapsular extraction of lens C73—Incision of capsule of lens C74—Other extraction of lens C75—Prosthesis of lens (4) SHA of commissioner—identifies the SHA in which the commissioner is located. Note: These data are provisional and may be incomplete or contain errors for which no adjustments have yet been made. Counts produced from provisional data are likely to be lower than those generated for the same period in the final dataset. This shortfall will be most pronounced in the final month of the latest period, ie November from the (month 9) April to November extract. It is also probable that clinical data are not complete, which may in particular affect the last two months of any given period. There may also be errors due to coding inconsistencies that have not yet been investigated and corrected. Final in-patient data for 2010-11 will be published by The NHS Information Centre on 2 November 2011.

College of Social Work

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the (a) creation of a College of Social Work, (b) Memorandum of Understanding and Service Level Agreement reached between the Interim Board and Unison and (c) Memorandum of Understanding reached between the Interim Board and BASW at the meeting of the Social Care Institute for Excellence Board on 15 September; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Government asked the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) to support the development of the College of Social Work. To do this, SCIE convened a College Development Group bringing together relevant parties from the sector. This group oversaw the open recruitment of interim Chairs of the college and an interim board which began work in October 2010.
	As part of its business planning and development the interim board has undertaken work to develop a viable and sustainable business model. Defining appropriate relationships with other organisations operating in the social work sector is of course an important part of this.
	The college remains in discussion with UNISON over future relationships and joint working. It has recently signalled to the British Association of Social Workers that it wishes to place further discussions around potential merger on hold until early 2012. It is our understanding that the college is not in a position to enter into any contract until it is legally established as a separate organisation at that point.
	SCIE is an independent charity and Government are not represented on its Board.

Community Resuscitation

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the cost-effectiveness of community resuscitation provision.

Simon Burns: The Department has made no such assessment. However, in 2007 an evaluation of the role of community defibrillation officers, as part of the National Defibrillation Programme, found that they had ensured that more defibrillators were deployed in the community, more individuals had been trained and retrained in their use and that where co-ordinated systems of response were in place, this increased the potential for early defibrillation. As a result, lives had been saved.

Day Centres

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in funding to local authorities on the number of day centres operational in (a) England, (b) the west midlands and (c) Dudley borough.

Paul Burstow: The responsibility for addressing and commissioning social care needs of local communities rests with local authorities.
	The Government recognise the importance of social care services and have taken steps to ensure that local authorities have sufficient funds to provide them. In recognition of the pressures on the social care system in a challenging fiscal climate, we have allocated an additional £2 billion by 2014-15 to support the delivery of social care. With an ambitious programme of efficiency, there will be enough funding available both to protect people's access to services and deliver new approaches to improve quality and outcomes.

Day Centres

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of day centres which were operational in (a) England, (b) the west midlands and (c) Dudley borough (i) on the most recent date for which figures are available and (ii) in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: Information on the number of day centres is not collected centrally.

Dental Services

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental (a) extractions and (b) restorations were performed by NHS dentists in each of the last four years by primary care trusts.

Simon Burns: Information is not available in the format requested.
	Information on the estimated total number of national health service clinical dental treatment items provided to adults in 2009-10 and 2010-11 is available in Table 5b of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2010/11” report.
	Clinical dental treatment items include extractions, permanent fillings and sealant restorations, veneer(s) applied, inlay(s) and crown(s) provided. The publication does not contain a definition for 'restorations'.
	Table 5e contains the same information for NHS clinical dental treatment items provided to children.
	This report, published on 18 August 2011 has been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats1011
	Comparable information for earlier years is not available.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which travel management companies his Department uses for the purchase of airline tickets.

Simon Burns: The Department is currently contracted with Flight Centre UK Ltd, trading as FCm Travel Solutions, for all its travel requirements, including airline tickets. Connecting for Health are using Expotel (with effect from 19 September 2011).

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) contractual obligations and (b) other processes his Department uses in respect of travel management companies to ensure the best value is achieved when purchasing airline tickets.

Simon Burns: Suppliers are required to provide services in accordance with the Department’s policy. The Department’s travel policy states that staff are required to consider at the outset whether their travel is necessary to deliver the business outcome required. First-class air travel is not allowed within the Department’s policy. If travel by air is necessary, travellers should travel economy class, unless a business need to travel business class can be demonstrated.
	There is a contractual requirement that the supplier offers lowest published airfares in accordance with the Government Airfare Programme in all cases. In order to achieve the lowest price, bookers are required to consider using consolidators (services, like brokers, that compare flight prices across a range of airlines for a particular flight route for the same time period), discounted fares, promotional offers and ‘no-frills’/low-cost airlines. There is also a requirement that e-tickets are issued where this saves money.
	The supplier must provide at least one alternative fare for every inquiry/booking made for air travel, and must offer the lowest practical fare available at the time of booking. They are also obliged to maximise the benefits available to the Department, enhancing point of sale activity in support of departmental requirement to reduce costs.

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the resource budget allocation was for the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the salary, including benefits, was of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many individuals have held the post in the last five years;
	(3)  how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the office of his Department's chief scientific adviser in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and on what date the office was established.

Simon Burns: The chief scientific adviser (CSA) at the Department of Health is Professor Dame Sally C Davies.
	Dame Sally has been CSA and responsible for research and development since 2004. In addition to these responsibilities, Dame Sally was appointed Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government on 1 March 2011.
	There is no dedicated CSA support office at the Department. Colleagues across the Department support Dame Sally in her CSA role.
	Dame Sally is a Permanent Secretary. Salaries for senior civil servants are published on the Cabinet Office website:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/senior-civil-servants-high-earners-salaries

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on requiring his Department's (a) agencies and non-departmental public bodies and (b) contractors to have a written code of practice or protocol relating to the provision, conduct and quality assurance of scientific evidence and advice.

Simon Burns: The Department is committed to handling science and engineering advice in accordance with the Government chief scientific adviser's ‘Guidelines on the use of science and engineering advice in policy-making’.
	Wherever appropriate, we draw the attention of our agencies, non-departmental public bodies and contractors to guidance on scientific advice to Government. This includes, for example, the ‘Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees’ and the ‘Principles for Scientific Advice to Government’.

Departmental Consultants

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2011, Official Report, column 821W, on departmental manpower, what consultancy arrangements are in place in his Department; and with which firms.

Simon Burns: Information is held on the Department's central procurement database on all open contracts with suppliers held by the Department. Information on the suppliers of consultancy services is in the following table:
	
		
			 Requirement description Consultancy category Total approved s  pend (£) Contract start Contract end Supplier name 
			 Integrated Care Pilot Programme Organisation and change management 4,471,000.00 19 February 2009 31 December 2011 KPMG 
			 Appointment of legal advisers on the sale of NHS Professionals Legal 275,000.00 3 November 2010 1 June 2012 Norton Rose Vieregge 
			 Adviser to Support The Evaluation of NHS Professionals Finance 475,000.00 23 March 2010 1 June 2012 PWC 
			 Mids Staffordshire Inquiry Marketing and comms 75,000.00 16 December 2010 1 February 2012 Central Office of Information 
			 NHS Transition Programme Organisation and change management 250,000.00 24 March 2011 31 December 2011 McKinsey & Co 
			 Technical advice to the CAF programme Technical 69,000.00 31 March 2011 31 December 2011 Portico 
			 Estates transition programme Property and construction 57,390.00 13 April 2011 31 December 2011 Capita Symonds 
			 Legal advice for care provision Legal 25,000.00 27 April 2011 31 December 2011 Allen and Overy 
			 Legal advice for care provision Legal 25,000.00 5 May 2011 31 December 2011 Baker Tilly 
			 Fit for Work Service Organisation and change management 45,000.00 9 May 2011 31 December 2011 Tribal Consulting Ltd 
			 (1) Contract value.

Departmental Legal Opinion

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average hourly rate paid was to external (a) solicitors and (b) barristers engaged by his Department in 2010-11; what guidance his Department uses in commissioning external legal advice; and if he will publish (i) the names of each external (A) solicitor and (B) barrister engaged by his Department in 2010-11 and (ii) the sums paid in each case.

Simon Burns: The Department uses the Government Procurement Service (formerly Buying Solutions) framework agreements to access services provided by external solicitors. The framework rates for the services provided by the suppliers on these frameworks are on average £183 per hour across the firms, including partners (the rates for whom are higher and are used less regularly). For barristers, the Department is required to use the Attorney-General’s panel system for Junior Counsel. The latest rates for these panels are as follows:
	Junior Counsel to the Crown—C Panel: July 2011
	Hourly rate: £60 if under five years’ call; £80 if over five years’ call
	Junior Counsel to the Crown—B Panel: August 2011
	Hourly rate: £100
	Junior Counsel to the Crown—A Panel: August 2011
	Hourly rate: £120
	Counsel who take silk are for the first 12 months generally paid at £180 per hour, and then paid at a rate between £180 and £250 per hour after that.
	The Department's efficiency measures govern how professional services are commissioned by officials, including all spend on external legal services. All requirements for external legal advice are assessed by officials in the Department's Procurement, Investment and Commercial Division in conjunction with colleagues in the Government Legal Service before contracts are let with solicitors or barristers.
	Information from the Department's central procurements database shows that expenditure on external legal services by the Department for financial year 2010-11 was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Beachcroft LLP 31,170.73 
			 Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP 12,075.00 
			 Bevan Br1ttan LLP 13,160.25 
			 Capsticks Solicitors LLP 80,034.20 
			 DLA Piper UK LLP 46,990.75 
			 Eversheds LLP 2,647,110.56 
			 Hempsons Solicitors 83,439.66 
			 Irwin Mitchell Solicitors 115,000.00 
			 Mills and Reeve LLP 61,580.95 
		
	
	The Department's procurement function often achieves a 10% to 20% reduction in the published rates for the Government Procurement Service framework agreements through further competition involving the pre-qualified firms of solicitors.
	The Department does not hold records centrally about the identities or the number of staff involved in the delivery of services from these firms.
	The Department has a Service Level Agreement with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) for the provision of legal advice (i.e. from legal staff directly employed by DWP). It is for DWP to commission the services of barristers as required using the panel rates as described above.

Departmental Local Government

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on personal budgets.

Paul Burstow: The ‘Vision for Adult Social Care: Capable Communities and Active Citizens’ sets the context for the future direction of adult social care in England. It states that councils should provide personal budgets, preferably as a direct payment, for everyone eligible, by 2013.
	Since the introduction of direct payments in 1997, the Government have issued guidance documents to support local authorities, the most recent being November 2009 when the regulations were updated, and extended direct payments to people who lacked capacity and certain mental health users. The guidance on direct payments assist local councils in making direct payments and provides guidance on how they can manage and administer them. A copy of the ‘Guidance on Direct Payments’ has been placed in the Library and is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_104840
	In 2007, the previous Administration published ‘Putting People First: A shared vision and commitment to the transformation of adult social care’. The local performance framework which covers the delivery of all services by local government working alone or in partnership, to create an improved approach to local partnership, enabling local authorities and partners to work together to lead their area and better meet the public's needs. A copy of the publication has already been placed in the Library and is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_081118
	The Department of Health then issued a circular on ‘Transforming Social Care’ LAC (DH) (2008) 1 which provided details of the social care reform grant that central Government would make over a three-year period to support the cost of implementing a new system with personal budgets at its heart. A copy of the circular has already been placed in the Library and is available on the Department's website at:
	LAC (DH) (2008)1
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/LocalAuthorityCirculars/DH_081934
	Further circulars were issued on Transforming Social Care. These circulars have been placed in the Library and are available at the Department's website at:
	LAC (DH) (2009)1
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/LocalAuthorityCirculars/DH_095719
	LAC (DH) (2010)1
	www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_114790.pdf
	General information relating to personal budgets is now on Think Local Act Personal website which is at:
	http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/

Departmental Local Government

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of reductions in funding to local authorities on personal budgets for disabled people in (a) England, (b) the west midlands and (c) Dudley borough.

Paul Burstow: In recognition of the pressures on the social care system in a challenging local government settlement, the spending review allocated an additional £2 billion by 2014-15 to support the delivery of social care. This means, with an ambitious programme of efficiency, that there is enough funding available to make it possible to protect people's access to care.
	The Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has not made an assessment in the west midlands or Dudley on the effects of reductions in funding to local authorities on personal budgets for disabled people.
	‘A Vision for Adult Social Care: Capable Communities and Active Citizens’, sets out that the Government expect councils to provide personal budgets to everyone eligible, preferably as a direct payment by 2013, and develop the big society, with more local preventative activity to support people's independence, particularly for disabled people.

Drugs: Misuse

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the volatile substance abuse framework document, Out of sight, not out of mind; and whether he plans to review the framework.

Sarah Teather: I have been asked to reply.
	The volatile substance abuse framework was developed under the previous Administration and no recent assessment has been made of it. There are no plans to review the framework.

General Practitioners: Conferences

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a transcript of the remarks he made at the conference for clinical commissioning groups held on 14 September 2011.

Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), spoke to a large audience of emerging clinical commissioning group leaders at a joint NHS Alliance and National Association of Primary Care conference at the Royal Horticultural Halls and Conference Centre on 14 September 2011.
	A copy of the Secretary of State's speech has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department's website:
	http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2011/09/16/speech-16-september-2011-andrew-lansley-napc-nhs-alliance-conference/

General Practitioners: North East

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the names are of the clinical commissioning group board members for the North East; and which of these received remuneration from (a) Virgin Health and (b) Assura.

Simon Burns: Emerging clinical commissioning groups currently operate under delegated authority from primary care trusts (PCTs), as a committee or sub-committee of a PCT. They cannot have a Board until they are formally established. The Department would not hold details of board members.

Hay Diet

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the Hay Diet; and what his policy is on the use of such diets in education on healthy living.

Anne Milton: The Department does not hold any specific evidence on the Hay diet. The Department advises that the pubic should follow a balanced diet, as shown in the eatwell plate that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables and starchy foods and is low in salt, saturated fat and added sugars.

Health

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what joint work is being undertaken between Public Health Responsibility Deals and Change4Life.

Anne Milton: The Responsibility Deal and Change4Life are two separate initiatives which both aim to improve public health. Change4Life is a society-wide movement that aims to prevent people from becoming overweight by encouraging them to eat better and move more. It is the marketing component of the Government's response to the rise in obesity and as such, it is a useful vehicle for public facing Responsibility Deal activities.
	One example of the joint work between the Responsibility Deal and Change4Life is the individual Responsibility Deal pledge commitment by the Association of Convenience Stores to work with its members to roll out Change4Life branding into 1,000 stores to improve fruit and vegetable availability in deprived areas.

Health

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding he has allocated to each Public Health Responsibility Deal network in financial years (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.

Anne Milton: In 2011-12, the Department has allocated funding of £100,000 to cover costs relating to the central running of the Responsibility Deal.
	It is not possible to provide information on funding in future years because budgets are subject to the Department's business planning process which takes place each year for the following financial year.
	Implementation of the Public Health Responsibility Deal pledges will be carried out by partner organisations and the costs of doing this will be incurred by these organisations.

Health and Social Care Bill

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse was of the drafting by Parliamentary Counsel of the text of and amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill (a) before its First Reading on 19 January 2011 and (b) from 20 January 2011 to date.

Simon Burns: The estimated cost to the Department of Health of the drafting by Parliamentary Counsel of the text and amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill 2011 is £294,000. Of this, £154,000 relates to the period before the Bill's first reading on 19 January 2011, and £140,000 relates to the period from 20 January 2011 to date.
	This figure relates the costs charged to the Department by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.

Health Professions: Regulation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward legislative proposals to govern the training and regulation of health care assistants.

Anne Milton: There are no plans to introduce statutory regulation for health care assistants.
	The Government’s view, as set out in the Command Paper “Enabling Excellence”, is that the approach to the regulation of health and social care workers must be proportionate and targeted, and we do not believe that the case has been made for subjecting low-paid workers to an additional tier of regulation.
	Employers of health care assistants must take responsibility for the quality of services provided. It is also essential that appropriate professional responsibility is taken and accountability demonstrated for effectively supervising any unregulated support staff.
	The Health and Social Care Bill currently before Parliament will enable a system of assured voluntary registration to be established for health and social care workers not subject to statutory regulation, including health care assistants.
	Subject to parliamentary approval, this will provide employers with an additional mechanism to satisfy themselves that unregulated workers are appropriately trained and qualified.

Health Services: North East

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent Care Quality Commission inspectors were tasked with undertaking inspections as part or all of their work in the North East Strategic Health Authority region in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010.

Simon Burns: The following information has been supplied by the Care Quality Commission (CQC):
	2009 - 10
	On 1 April 2009 there were 41.37 whole-time equivalent (WTE) inspectors/assessors involved in carrying out inspections plus two dedicated enforcement inspectors, who also carried out inspections associated with enforcement activity in the North East Strategic Health Authority (NE SHA). In Quarter 2 of 2009, internal restructuring led to nine redundancies in the NE SHA region and consequently from 1 January 2010 there were 32.37 WTE inspectors plus two enforcement inspectors.
	2010-11
	The establishment of compliance inspectors in the NE SHA region was 33 WTE posts However, from 17 May 2010, a new field force restructure was implemented that aimed to re-direct CQC resources to front line from its overall budgeted allocation for staff. This led to an increase to 39 WTE compliance inspectors in the NE region with effect from 3 February 2011.
	There is no reference to enforcement inspectors in 2010-11 as these roles were subsumed into the compliance inspector roles.
	At the present time all posts of compliance inspector are filled.

Health Services: North East

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many workplace inspections Care Quality Commission inspectors undertook in the North East Strategic Health Authority region in (a) the independent sector and (b) NHS workplaces in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2010.

Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England and is responsible for developing and consulting on its methodology for assessing whether providers are meeting the registration requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
	CQC provided the following information about inspections it carried out in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	
		
			 Inspections/reviews undertaken by the Care Quality Commission in the North East Strategic Health Authority region during 2009-10 and 2010-11 
			  2009-10 2010-11 
			 Independent healthcare establishments inspected under the Care Standards Act 2000 31 13 
			 Independent healthcare establishments inspected under the Health and Social Care Act 2008(3) n/a 4 
			 NHS locations (1)n/k (2)23 
			 Adult social care establishments inspected under the Care Standards Act 2000 754 328 
			 Adult social care establishments inspected under the Health and Social Care Act 20083 n/a 128 
			 (1) Not known. There were two forms of NHS inspections that took place in 2009-10: The Healthcare Associated Infection programme inspected all acute trusts and the ambulance trust in the North East Region. The number of exact site visits was not recorded. Core standards assessments were also undertaken in the 2009-10 financial year as follow up visits to the 2008-09 Annual Health Check. There were two undertaken in the NE region in this period. The exact number of site visits was not recorded during the core standards assessment programme of work. (2) Since 1 April 2010, NHS providers have been registered against the full set of registration requirements under the 2008 Act. (3) Since 1 October 2010, CQC has registered private and voluntary healthcare and adult social care providers under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, replacing the existing registration of these providers under the Care Standards Act 2000. Notes: 1. For 2009-10 and 2010-11 the figures indicate the number of inspections completed that have led to an inspection report. Any follow up inspection activity to check on action carried out following an initial inspection, or details of inspections carried out related to enforcement activity may not be included in these data. 2. These inspections figures do not include joint inspections of children’s services with Ofsted, inspections of health services for young offenders with Youth Offending Teams, controlled drugs inspections or Ionising Radiation inspections. It also does not include visits carried out under the Mental Health Act.

Health: Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider the merits of introducing a statutory duty on the Secretary of State for Health and health bodies to promote health research.

Simon Burns: Clause 5 of the Health and Social Care Bill outlines a duty that, in exercising functions in relation to the health service, the Secretary of State must have regard to the need to promote research on matters relevant to the health service, and the use in the health service of evidence obtained from research.
	Clause 20 of the Bill outlines further provisions for the NHS Commissioning Board including a duty that the Board must, in the exercise of its functions, have regard to the need to promote research on matters relevant to the health service, and the use in the health service of evidence obtained from research.
	Clause 23 of the Bill outlines general duties for clinical commissioning groups including a duty that each group must, in the exercise of its functions, have regard to the need to promote research on matters relevant to the health service, and the use in the health service of evidence obtained from research.
	Clause 62 of the Bill outlines matters Monitor must have regard to in exercising its functions, including a duty that it must have regard to the need to promote research on matters relevant to the national health service by persons who provide health care services for the purposes of the NHS.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what performance measure of inpatient referral to treatment time his Department has assessed as the most effective indicator of (a) NHS trust or NHS foundation trust performance and (b) NHS performance nationwide;
	(2)  what performance measure of inpatient referral to treatment time his Department has assessed as the most effective indicator of waiting times.

Simon Burns: The Department believes it is important to monitor and report information on the time patients waited before starting their treatment and on the waiting time of those yet to start treatment. This provides patients with information to inform their choices of where they want to be treated. It also enables NHS organisations to benchmark their own performance and ensure that they are delivering a high quality service to their patients.
	As set out in the “NHS Operating Framework for 2011/12” published on 15 December 2010,
	'patients' rights to access services within maximum waiting times under the National Health Service Constitution will continue'
	and
	'there will be monitoring of compliance with this and the 95th percentile of waiting time'.
	In line with this, the Department publishes statistics on both the patient wait until the start of treatment and on the patient wait for those still waiting. In both cases, the information published includes the percentage of patients within 18 weeks, the 95th percentile and average (median) wait. This information is provided at an England level broken down by NHS commissioner and provider and by treatment function. Detailed tables by commissioner and provider can be found at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Performancedataandstatistics/ReferraltoTreatmentstatistics/index.htm
	The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics. Designation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics:
	meet identified user needs;
	are well explained and readily accessible;
	are produced according to sound methods, and
	are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest.

Influenza: Vaccination

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of uptake was of the influenza vaccination offered by the NHS amongst (a) people aged over 65 years, (b) pregnant women, (c) people with a serious medical condition, (d) residents in (i) a long-stay residential care home and (ii) other long-stay care facilities, (e) main carers of elderly or disabled people and (f) frontline health and social care workers in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: The data that are available on the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccine by various groups in England in the seasonal influenza vaccination programmes in the years 2006-07 to 2010-11 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Percentage 
			 Group 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 (a) Age 65 years and older 73.9 73.5 74.1 72.4 72.8 
			 (b) Pregnant women(1) — — — — 38.0 
			 (c) Age less than 65 years in a seasonal influenza clinical risk group(2) 42.1 45.3 47.1 51.6 50.4 
			 (d) Residents in a long-stay residential care home and other long-stay care facilities(3) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 (e) Carers 36.3 36.2 39.0 42.3 42.7 
			 (f) Frontline health care workers(4) 14.0 13.4 16.5 26.4 34.7 
			 n/a = not available (1) Pregnant women were offered seasonal influenza vaccine routinely from 2010-11. (2) The seasonal influenza clinical risk groups include chronic respiratory disease, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, chronic neurological disease, diabetes and immunosuppression. (3) No data on these groups have been collected. (4) Data for 2006-07 to 2008-09 are for acute trusts only. No data are collected on the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccine by frontline social care workers. 
		
	
	The data above are taken from reports available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Immunisation/Keyvaccineinformation/DH_104070

Influenza: Vaccination

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for expenditure on national influenza vaccination publicity in 2011-12.

Anne Milton: Final spend on publicity for the seasonal flu programme in 2011-12 is yet to be confirmed.
	The Department will not be running a national vaccination advertising campaign for the 2011-12 flu season. To date in 2011-12 the Department has spent money on updating information materials for use by health professionals and is intending to run reminder messages on pharmacy bags. These messages aim to encourage people in at-risk groups to be vaccinated against seasonal flu. They will appear on pharmacy bags across 2,225 pharmacies in England and run for four weeks until 20 November. Pharmacy bags will support local campaigns as they target people in at-risk groups in a relevant setting, i.e. when they are collecting their prescription from their pharmacy.
	Following last winter, the Department has reviewed the evidence base for mass media campaigns in driving uptake and it is not clear that advertising results in more people being vaccinated. Vaccine uptake rates in 2010 were very similar to previous years. Therefore, the Department is not planning to run a national advertising campaign for seasonal flu vaccination this autumn.

Methadone: Wirral

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each Parliamentary constituency in the Wirral have been using methadone for (a) four, (b) five, (c) six, (d) seven, (e) eight, (f) nine and (g) 10 or more consecutive years.

Anne Milton: Information is not collected by parliamentary constituency. I refer the right hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 13 September 2011, Official Report, column 1122W.

NHS: Finance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure has been approved by each strategic health authority under paragraph 5.6 of the NHS Operating Framework 2011-12.

Simon Burns: The following 2011-12 non-recurrent planned expenditure has been approved by each strategic health authority to date, and has also been supported by the strategic health authority directors of finance group in accordance with the 2% non-recurrent expenditure requirement for primary care trusts, as laid out in the “2011-12 Operating Framework”.
	
		
			 Strategic health authority £ million 
			 North-east 93.6 
			 North-west 247.9 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 169.0 
		
	
	
		
			 East midlands 139.7 
			 West midlands 179.5 
			 East of England 126.9 
			 London 207.0 
			 South-east coast 75.3 
			 South central 85.5 
			 South-west 102.8 
			 Total 1,427.2 
		
	
	A significant part of the 2% non-recurrent expenditure relates to the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention initiatives in both trust and primary care trusts, and service redesign costs not related to the new landscape.

NHS: Private Patients

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the level of the cap on private patient income is for each NHS foundation trust;
	(2)  how much income from private patients each NHS foundation trust received in each of the last five financial years; and what proportion of their (a) private patient income cap and (b) total turnover such income represented in each case.

Simon Burns: The information relating to the last two years has been placed in the Library.
	Due to changes in accounting practice the information relating to the previous three years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Ophthalmic Services: Finance

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding he has allocated to the NHS for eye lens treatments in financial year 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Primary care trust (PCT) recurrent revenue allocations are not broken down by service or policy area. It is currently for PCTs to commission services to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations, taking account of local and national priorities.

Pancreatic Cancer: Screening

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Paul Burstow: On 12 January 2011, we published “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”. The strategy sets out an ambition to save at least an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15 through earlier diagnosis of cancer and improved access to screening and radiotherapy. To support earlier diagnosis of cancer, the Government have committed over £450 million over the next four years, which includes provision for the funding of awareness activity and measures to support general practitioners to diagnose cancer earlier.
	The strategy also sets out our commitment to work with a number of rarer cancer-focused charities to assess what more can be done to encourage appropriate referrals to secondary care and to diagnose rarer cancers earlier. Departmental officials have already met with a number of these charities, including a pancreatic cancer charity, with the aim of identifying some of the barriers to early diagnosis and to discuss potential solutions. This will inform our future work in this area.
	On 16 September, we announced plans to roll out a regional awareness symptom campaign focusing on lung cancer in October and a national campaign focussing on bowel cancer next year. In addition, there will be local trial campaigns for less common cancers, namely oesophagogastric cancer and the symptom blood in urine (an indicator of kidney and bladder cancers). Work is also under way to test the feasibility of developing a more generic cancer campaign that could apply to all cancer types including pancreatic cancer.

Plastic Surgery: Regulation

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has considered the merits of establishing an official regulatory body for the cosmetic surgery industry.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (Dr Poulter) and my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mike Weatherley) on 9 May 2011, Official Report, column 1055W.

Radiotherapy

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for future commissioning of radiotherapy.

Paul Burstow: The Government’s proposals are to pass the commissioning of most services, including cancer services to groups of general practitioner practices, known as clinical commissioning groups. However, some specialised commissioning will be directly commissioned by the NHS Commissioning Board. Decisions have not yet been taken about the appropriate level for commissioning radiotherapy services.

Radiotherapy

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps (a) his Department and (b) the National Cancer Action Team is taking to address geographical differences in radiotherapy treatment.

Paul Burstow: The National Cancer Action Team (NCAT) supports local teams, cancer networks and commissioners by providing a range of advice, tools and support modelling demand for improving capacity, quality and productivity of radiotherapy services.
	The Department and NCAT published the first annual report of the radiotherapy dataset “RTDS Annual Report 2009/2010” in August. It provides an accurate baseline from which we can measure and assess improvements and changes in radiotherapy services and enables local services to focus on understanding the reasons for variations.
	A copy of this report has been placed in the Library.

Radiotherapy

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the recommendations of the National Radiotherapy Implementation Group, what steps (a) his Department and (b) the National Cancer Action Team is taking to ensure that stereotactic body radiotherapy treatment is made available to more NHS patients;
	(2)  whether local trusts are required to implement the recommendations of the National Radiotherapy Implementation Group report which have been accepted by his Department.

Paul Burstow: The National Radiotherapy Implementation Group (NRIG) report, “Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) Guidelines for Commissioners, Providers and Clinicians in England 2011”, which has been made available on the National Cancer Action Team website at:
	www.ncat.nhs.uk/our-work/ensuring-better-treatment/radiotherapy
	made a comprehensive assessment of the role and opportunities for SBRT in cancer treatment. The report brought together all the existing evidence on SBRT and concluded that only a small number of patients would benefit from this treatment. There are at least 20 radiotherapy centres across the country with the capability of delivering this treatment.
	Ensuring that all cancer patients receive the appropriate treatment delivered to a high standard is critical to improving cancer outcomes. It is now for the local NHS to take account of this guidance when considering whether to commission SBRT for a particular indication. As with all clinical decisions, these should be made locally on a case-by-case basis taking into account the individual circumstances of each patient.

Radiotherapy

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2011, Official Report, column 694W, on the Specialised Service Transitional Oversight Group, how many of those appointed to the Specialised Service Transitional Oversight Group have a professional (a) medical and (b) financial background.

Simon Burns: Membership of the Specialised Service Transitional Oversight Group is drawn from a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in specialised commissioning. Dr Kathy McLean, Chair of the clinical advisory group, has a medical background.
	The Transitional Oversight Group is part of a wider governance framework.

Radiotherapy

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2011, Official Report, columns 586-7W, on radiotherapy, 
	(1)  where in the 2011-12 recurrent revenue allocation exposition book the allocation from the £150 million budget for expanding radiotherapy capacity is located;
	(2)  whether the £150 million budget is ring-fenced for expenditure on expanding radiotherapy capacity by trusts in their localities;
	(3)  how much of the £150 million to be spent on expanding radiotherapy capacity will be made available in the (a) second, (b) third and (c) fourth years.

Paul Burstow: The exposition book 2011-12 sets out the fair shares calculation, which underpins each primary care trust's (PCT) total resource allocation. This calculation takes into account local population characteristics to ensure that each PCT is given a total allocation in line with the relative needs of its population. The total resource allocation for each PCT is calculated using local population characteristics on an overall basis, rather than being calculated as a sum of individual treatment areas. Therefore, the £150 million funding for increased radiotherapy capacity is not listed separately in the exposition book; it is captured as part of the overall resource allocations in the ‘Allocations’ tab.
	The £150 million is not ring-fenced. Overall baseline allocations are currently set on the basis of a weighted capitation formula, used to determine PCTs target shares of overall national health service resources to enable them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need. The Secretary of State for Health does not mandate how much individual PCTs are to spend on particular services within these overall allocations. PCTs have local discretion to decide how to use their overall allocation to commission services, including radiotherapy services, to meet the health care needs of their local populations, taking account of local and national priorities.
	From 2011, available funding for expanding radiotherapy capacity is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2011-12 13 
			 2012-13 22 
			 2013-14 32 
			 2014-15 42 
		
	
	This excludes funding for expanding proton beam therapy services.

Radiotherapy: South West

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the 2010-11 recurrent revenue allocation exposition book, how much of the budget of (a) North Somerset Primary Care Trust, (b) Somerset Primary Care Trust and (c) the South West Strategic Health Authority was spent on radiotherapy services.

Simon Burns: The South West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) does not commission health care and so does not spend any resource on radiotherapy services. Information on spending by primary care trusts (PCTs) on radiotherapy services is not held centrally.
	The 2010-11 recurrent revenue allocations for the above bodies are contained in the following table:
	
		
			  2010-11 recurrent revenue allocation (£000) 2010-11 cash increase (£000) 2010-11 cash increase (percentage) 
			 North Somerset PCT 306,265 18,308 6.4 
			 Somerset PCT 796,505 44,988 6.0 
			 South West SHA 8,035,411 427,194 5.6

Smoking: Children

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating children with passive smoking related illnesses, including the cost of primary care visits and hospital admissions in the last year for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: The Department has not made an assessment of the cost to the NHS associated with the treatment of illnesses in children caused by exposure to second-hand smoke.
	The Royal College of Physicians (RCP), in its 2010 report “Passive Smoking in Children”, provided estimates of the approximate number of cases of disease and the consequent morbidity in children caused by exposure to second-hand smoke in the United Kingdom. This report also estimated the cost to the NHS of treating diseases caused by exposure to second-hand smoke among children in the United Kingdom. The RCP’s report is available at:
	http://bookshop.rcplondon.ac.uk/contents/pub305-e37e88a5-4643-4402-9298-6936de103266.pdf

Social Services: Reform

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's timetable is for producing a White Paper on the reform of social care following the Dilnot Report.

Paul Burstow: Following the launch of ‘Caring for Our Future: Shared ambitions for care and support’ on 15 September, we will be engaging widely on social care reform. This is an opportunity to bring together the recommendations from the Law Commission and the Commission on the Funding of Care and Support with the Government's Vision for Adult Social Care, and to discuss what the priorities for reform should be.
	We will be engaging with stakeholders, carers and service users over the autumn to understand these priorities. Following this engagement, the Government are committed to publishing a care and support White Paper and a progress report on funding by April 2012. It remains our intention to legislate to this effect at the earliest opportunity.

Solvents: Misuse

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the work of (a) hospital trusts, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) local education authorities concerning the prevention of volatile substance abuse.

Sarah Teather: I have been asked to reply.
	No recent assessments have been made concerning the prevention of volatile substance abuse. Department for Education research published in February 2011 looked at the costs and benefits of specialist drug and alcohol services for young people. Also, as part of the 2010 Drug Strategy, officials looked at international evidence on preventing substance misuse, consulting widely on the most effective ways of doing so. Government Departments are working closely to ensure commitments made in the Drug Strategy are met.
	The non-ringfenced Early Intervention Grant will allow local authorities to prioritise funding according to local need and where it will have the greatest impact.

Strokes: Medical Treatments

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS stroke treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: We continue to monitor the improvements made in stroke services through a variety of mechanisms. Both the National Sentinel Stroke audit and the Stroke Improvement National Audit Programme (SINAP) provide information on various aspects of stroke services. In particular, SINAP provides quarterly information about the care provided to stroke patients in their first three days in hospital that can be used to improve stroke services and so improve outcomes for patients.
	Stroke is an integrated measure of performance in the “Operating Framework for the National Health Service in England for 2011/12”. Information is collected quarterly on two key markers of good quality stroke care. Local health communities can use this data to help judge where improvements need to be made.
	In addition, the Stroke Improvement Programme, which is part of NHS Improvement, is working through their networks using evidence-based approaches that are both clinically and cost-effective to go further in improving stroke care across the whole pathway.

Sunderland Royal Hospital: Waiting Lists

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on waiting lists for operations at Sunderland Royal hospital on 1 September in each year since 2005; and what the average waiting time was in each year.

Simon Burns: Information on numbers of people on waiting lists for operations at individual hospitals is not centrally held.
	The closest available data are monthly in-patient waiting list data. Information on in-patient (overnight and day case combined) waiting list statistics for City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (FT) on 31 August 2005-09 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Total in-patient waiting list Average (median) waiting time (weeks) 
			 2005 5,889 6.5 
			 2006 8,224 7.0 
			 2007 6,827 5.9 
			 2008 6,255 5.3 
			 2009 5,935 4.2 
			 Notes: 1. In-patient waiting times are measured from decision to admit by the consultant to admission to hospital. 2. The figures show the median waiting times for patients still waiting for admission at the end of the month. 3. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates .of the position on average waits. 4. The MMRPROV return was discontinued from April 2010. Source: Department of Health Monthly Waiting Times—Monthly Monitoring Return Provider (MMRPROV). 
		
	
	Waiting list data for April 2010 onwards relate to Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times. They show waiting times for the whole patient pathway, from initial referral through to the point at which either first definitive treatment is provided or a decision not to treat is made. Data on incomplete pathways relate to those patients still waiting at the end of the month.
	Information on incomplete RTT waiting list statistics for City Hospitals Sunderland NHS FT on 31 August 2009 and 2010 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Total number of incomplete pathways Average (median) waiting time (weeks) 
			 2009 23,575 5.0 
			 2010 20,799 5.5 
			 Notes: 1. RTT waiting times are measured from general practitioner referral to start of first definitive treatment. 2. Incomplete RTT pathways show waiting times for patients still waiting to start treatment at the end of the month. 3. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits. 4. Incomplete RTT pathway data are available from August 2007. Source: Department of Health Referral to Treatment waiting times—RTT return